


Reload

by YassHomo



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Akechi Goro Redemption, Akechi is totally smitten tbh, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Possessive Sex, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Touch-Starved, Touch-Starved Akechi Goro, Unrequited Love, Victorian hand porn, hands touch briefly - aight theyre in love, you know what that means!!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:53:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28428846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YassHomo/pseuds/YassHomo
Summary: It soon becomes apparent that Amamiya Ren does not remember their true first meeting. After some consideration, Goro Akechi decides that this is for the best. Emotional ties do nothing but hold you back. Besides, the supposed 'gift' of colour wasn't so impressive.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 39
Kudos: 158





	1. Chapter 1

_I am thou, thou art I._

_Thou hast acquired a new vow. It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakth thy chains of captivity._

_With the birth of the Universe Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that should lead to freedom and new power…_

• • •

It soon becomes apparent that Amamiya Ren does not remember their true first meeting.

Well, _first meeting_ is perhaps too generous a term for what it truly was. Normally, Goro would have avoided Shibuya Station, especially at peak hour, but this time he had wanted the journey. He had been busy last night, and - to be quite frank - he didn't want to head back and deal with another barrage of requests.

So, he changed his traditional attire into something far more inconspicuous; grey jeans, black hoodie, overall on the darker spectrum of the monotones he could see. His body language was impatient, coiled with energy - less approachable, causing people to automatically make way for him. There was something oddly satisfying about peeling away the layers of his public facade to become something completely unrecognizable and therefore insignificant by the masses.

If he were poetic, he would have likened himself to a wolf coated in particularly unremarkable wool. As it were, however, Goro did not care for such ostentatious bullshit. There was no point in comparing himself to the rest of humanity. Without much effort he blended in, keeping his head down, and watched the grey _(?)_ tiles pass beneath his feet.

He had taken refuge in an almost unoccupied alcove to pass the minutes before his train arrived. He waited. Grew restless at the lack of stimuli. Checked his phone for any news. Nothing much, of course. Something, something, mental breakdowns, something, something, more meaningless content.

He gave a soft sigh, pocketed his phone, and decided to people watch. There was a certain knack to it - one which Goro possessed - in order to make logical guesses, find clues, and make suitable deductions. It was a marvel at how much is revealed in the assumed anonymity of a crowded subway.

Predictably, there wasn't much that caught his interest. One couple was having a particularly vocal domestic - how _quaint_ \- about who last had a hold on the train tickets. In the corner, a young child was throwing a tantrum as her father ignored her. More interestingly, though, there was a lone pickpocket in lightly shaded clothes making her way through the crowd. It was nothing new, though nothing had been new for quite a while.

He scanned the crowd once more, conscious of the minutes crawling by; it wouldn't be much longer now, and though it had been tedious, it was a much needed break from-

Oh.

There.

Pale skin, dark hair. Signature Shujin Academy uniform. A calm, even slope to his shoulders. Although, he looked tetchy, glancing up and down the platform, eyeing the other students who wore the same apparel. New, without a doubt. Perhaps he had moved cities.

_And just who might you be?_

That didn't matter, though. There were more interesting things to look at, and far more urgent places to go. Specifically, work. Though, some strange, magnetic force kept Goro standing there, watching the stranger navigate in a fresh environment. A train pulled up to their platform. It wasn't his. The student glanced at all of his peers boarding the train and decided that it was, in fact, his.

Just before boarding the train, the boy paused. Hesitated. He had seemed so assured a moment ago, and yet, something was pulling him back and compelling him to stay. Goro had little time to wonder exactly what that was before eyes met his own.

For a long few seconds, they stared. He held his breath, anticipating - something undefined. The student didn't recognise him for who he was, Goro was certain, but still he kept watching, seemingly dragged into their connection the same way Goro was.

And then, their contact was severed by a boy brusquely pushing past the student, causing him to take a step or so back. Just like that, whatever force that had beseeched Goro to stay and allow himself to be seen dissipated into the wind. Goro ducked his head, confused and agitated, a light migraine pushing against his temples.

He moved back into the sheltered security of the alcove, scowling to himself, unable to even begin explaining what the hell had just happened.

When the Shujin train finally departed, the headache worsened into a constant throb that happily maintained itself until his arrival at work. He endured the small talk, the insincere praise, accepted the 'criticisms' regarding his 'method.' The headache he was sporting then turned into spikes of agony, each more painful after the last.

Thankfully, he somehow managed to save himself from the embarrassment of vulnerability by hiding himself away in an empty office before promptly collapsing. After _(approximately)_ twenty-three minutes, Goro Akechi opened his eyes to a far, far brighter world and immediately felt worse for the experience.

This brought another wave of nausea, and he squinted at the sudden explosion of light. Frustrated at his own weakness, Goro shoved his hand against a wall and used this to prop himself up until he was standing. He stumbled slightly, breath harsh and shallow, briefly closing his eyes against the daggers of colour.

Then, after he had recovered enough to not feel as though he was swaying whilst standing still, he forced himself to take in each and every single overwhelming shade of brightness. It _burned,_ but he kept staring, hands shaking uncontrollably until he clenched them into tight fists.

Goro was by no means a fool.

He knew what had just happened.

 _He had met his soulmate_.

All it took was one fleeting exchange of glances, no words spoken from the chasm of distance. His _soul_ , the one he had trained and manifested and cultured for so damn long, was now bound - permanently _(?)_ \- to some average, no-name Shujin student.

 _Delightful_.

In a way, he felt cheated, but his thoughts on the matter were not needed. The only thing left now was to assess just what to do about this fucking mess. An undisciplined part of him knew that it would be child's play to find the mysterious stranger again. Goro could pin the student down with his gaze and break him down, reading between the cracks to fully grasp what _his soul_ was supposedly most compatible with.

 _Really, Akechi, sentimentality_?

Goro chided himself. He was able to push away some of the blame onto the fact that he had a fucking behemoth of a headache, given the fact that only half an hour ago he was completely unable to process certain wavelengths and was abruptly thrown into the deep end.

No. He wasn't some pathetic child in need of coddling. This was his mess, and he needed to decide what to do, without a reluctance to claim accountability, and without feeble _interests_ in the way. The very fact that he had even _begun_ to consider pursuing this mistake was concerning. Perhaps spending more time with Loki was in order.

He was getting ahead of himself.

This was nothing but a minor obstacle. The other boy wouldn't have been able to get a good look at him, which means that any forthcoming contact would be solely up to him. This was good. He had the upper hand - Goro would even go as far as stating the other player was off the board - which meant that any weakening emotional ties would be very easy to avoid.

The next day, he resigned himself to being driven to school. It was self preservation **,** even though it means that he has to endure more requests and complaints.

During this time, he completed more ' _jobs_ ', but also did some research. As loath as he is to admit his own ignorance, the topic of soulmates had never really interested him; he was able to look into his soul through his Personas, he didn't need anybody else's insight.

Immediately, however, he realised that his encounter was an anomaly. By all accounts, there should be an instant burst of cover the moment his eyes laid on the student. Instead, it had taken little over an hour, and then there was the _headache_ he had to deal with, one that took a week to abate. Simultaneously, Goro knew to be cautious about how much he read into - average people didn’t experience severe pain, but he was by no means average.

Naturally, he didn't tell anyone about this issue. There wasn't any point in doing so. Goro had no interest in pursuing any of this nonsense, so after he managed to grasp a full understanding of the situation, he decided that it was better to simply ignore the topic, and forget that entire damned morning in Shibuya station. 

About two weeks after the initial incident, he also learned that someone - or a group of people - had awoken a Persona. The sudden 'change of heart' (read: _distorted conviction_ ) was a rather telling factor. To make matters more frustrating, the group had sensationalized themselves, rapidly gaining public attention, but for now, it seemed that the excitement was predominantly local.

Goro could immediately see how this may potentially hinder his work, but he decided he didn't need to worry too deeply about what was happening - as long as it didn't affect him and his duties, these 'Phantom Thieves' could do whatever they wanted. Though, to be cautious, he also arranged his equipment to prepare for when the next 'calling card' came into play.

Whilst members of his organisation - both legal and murderous - were also concerned about these developments, they all managed to convince themselves that his help wasn’t slightly needed. So, thankfully, he was left alone, and able to continue avoiding any place near Shujin Academy with ease.

His resolve lasted a grand of two months, though not through lack of conviction. Goro was told that the set he had been working at was changing the list of allowed visitation from schools. He knows before asking that a new addition would be Shujin Academy. After the media frenzy that was the 'stolen heart' of their gym teacher (Kamoshida, some locally revered ex-medallist), many reporters were invested in getting a profitable angle on the case. It would make sense to have their involvement.

Though, it would have been nice to _warn_ him about the change of plans. It feels all too _convenient_ , like the gods of fate are playing a joke on him. Maybe they are; he knew, with a bone deep certainty that he absolutely should not have, that his soulmate would be there.

He was able to avoid them the first day, giving a wide berth to the section of studio the students would inhabit.

The second day, he wasn’t so fortunate, and resigned himself to the slim but potential chance of recognition. He spent the morning distracting himself with his school work - easy, as usual - and soon, it was mid-afternoon, and the group were said to arrive. The sudden exasperation of the crew members indicated that his reluctance was very much a shared emotion, though he was far more controlled in his response. He remained around the back of the studio, crossing his arms and hoping that he somehow went unnoticed until his interview was required.

Then, the class was led inside and told to take seats. For a moment, Goro was surprised at the sheer quantity of students - at least _sixty_ of them were crammed into the room. His anonymity lasted for a staggering twenty seconds, before a boy somewhere close to the entrance loudly said, "Holy shit, is that Goro Akechi?"

This earned a ripple of murmurs from the class, until a teacher successfully managed to hush them. The only change this made was that the insipid whispering and giggling became more subtle. Goro smiled at them as a collective, because that was what he was expected to do.

He scanned the crowd. It took a few moments, but eventually Goro managed to locate him. Currently, his _soulmate_ (Goro objected to such a saccharine word) was engaged in conversation with a pair of blondes to his right. Despite only just joining the academy, he had somehow made a strong connection with his peers. Natural charisma was most likely the culprit.

The trio are muttering, completely engaged in their own little world and paying no mind to the charged atmosphere. It seemed that the blond boy in the middle is doing most of the talking, using sloppy, broad gestures. His soulmate mostly observed the other two, rarely adding his own thoughts. Introverted, perhaps? Goro took a long moment to study him.

Messy black hair, thickly rimmed glasses, and an easy smile. From this distance, Goro can't tell what his eye colour would be, but he assumed it to be brown. Average build, height could not yet be determined. Standardly attractive. It would seem that his soulmate is _not_ his type. Goro looked away. Glanced back, just for a moment, to monitor the other's activities and found no change.

He couldn't deny that being disregarded stung his pride. Goro could see the irony - after a lifetime of loathing the attention that celebrity received, the one time he wished that someone would just _look_ at him also happened to be the one person that just didn't care.

After a minute of waiting and completely ignoring the audience and their loud, mildly irritating musings, he was encouraged to sit in front of the cameras. He did as he was told, gaining the attention of _almost_ every student in the room. He quickly adjusted his body language to seem far more approachable. Automatically, the audience grew still with anticipation.

Of course, this would make great television. He was expected to talk of the gym teacher in front of an audience made exclusively of Shujin Academy students that had arrived due to a last second change in admissions. This was just _guaranteed_ for high ratings.

 _Too convenient indeed_. He decided to ask Shido about this later.

Abruptly, the lights dim, and he put on his usual performance; smiling when appropriate, charming the audience, discussing things with his usual finesse. The fact that his soulmate was in the crowd is irrelevant, even if he found himself subconsciously glancing over. The lights shine against his face, blinding him and preventing him from seeing very far.

Then, the topic of the Phantom Thieves was introduced.

Goro, of course, had seen this coming, and took as firm a stance as possible without playing his hand too firmly. Most of the time, it was better to imply ideas and allow the public to piece things together instead of explicitly stating them; people were far more reluctant to dismiss their own beliefs. To make things more interesting, he allowed the information of his cooperation with authorities to be revealed. This, of course, caused an excited stir, and increased the admiring looks from the audience.

Then, a poll was introduced, and it revealed that a stunning thirty percent believe in the existence of the phenomenon that was the Phantom Thieves (way too high, and way too much support). He decided to deflect any further questions and stated that he wished to hear another's opinion. Unfortunately, he was aware that the vast majority would likely parrot back what he had just said in order to seem more appeasing.

In response to this, the interviewer stood up and announced that she would now be asking questions for members of the audience. The harsh lights softened so that both he and the interviewer could examine the audience. Within an instant, Goro saw that his soulmate was _still_ not looking over to him. Instead, he was watching the blond besides him, lips quirked up slightly at whatever was being furiously whispered.

The interviewer paused by one girl, and gave a diplomatic but decisively false smile. "What is your name, and what is your opinion on the Phantom Thieves?"

"Sato Hamari." The girl seemed torn between looking at both the interviewer and Goro. She chose her words with an air of exaggerated caution, sending a glance to Goro that was likely supposed to be coquettish. "I think that, if they _do_ exist, then they would be no better than the criminals they force a change of heart in. I am of the same opinion as Akechi-san."

"That's a very good opinion to have." Goro added. At this, there was a small smattering of laughter and the girl turned a rather worrisome shade of red.

"It seems you've charmed the audience, Akechi-kun." The interviewer briefly turned her attention back to the centre stage, waiting for him to give her a response.

Goro cracked his usual media smile. "I have my moments."

Another round of laughter. It seemed that it truly didn't take much to impress these people. Despite wringing out the contentious topic of the Phantom Thieves for far longer than natural, it was obvious that the interviewer wasn't too pleased with the boring placidity of the response. She moved towards the leftmost row.

Goro saw it coming before she even stopped - _this entire goddamn day was a joke_ \- and within seconds she was standing right next to his soulmate. The student was now watching the floor quite pointedly, ignoring the blond who was now being somewhat subtle about his whispering.

"How about you?” The interviewer asked, brandishing her microphone like a weapon. “What is your name?"

This finally shuts the blond up, and they both hesitated, before the blond nudged the other with a broad, bordering on smug grin. His soulmate didn't seem too pleased at being selected, but he didn't necessarily shrink away from the attention. "Amamiya Ren."

The knowledge that his soulmate has a name should have been rudimentary. The dual revelations of both his name and his voice (deeper than his, softer, with lightly accented words) caused him to freeze, for just a second. He recovered quickly, the only tell about his sudden discomfort being a downwards curl to his lips. Instantaneously, he wondered if the other - Amamiya - had a similar sentiment.

Suddenly, with a vehemence that Goro did not expect, he wanted _some_ concession.

 _Look at me_.

The questions were given concise answers and Amamiya did not look at him. It wasn’t a surprise to Goro that they are of differing opinions - in fact, part of him would be disappointed if there wasn't a challenge presented. The rest of the interview passed smoothly, without further distractions. The stage lights dim and Goro is free to move around the studio as he pleased.

He allowed himself to be approached by a large group of girls, patiently listened to their questions and turned down their not so subtle advances. It was irritating, it was mundane, but it was what he was supposed to do in order to maintain his image. The lack of genuine engagement allowed him to watch Amamiya out of the corner of his eye. Surprisingly, he was alone, neither of his friends in sight. After a minute or so, Goro was able to extract himself from the crowd.

He approached his soulmate, keeping his disposition friendly and open. "Amamiya-san, right?"

For the first time since that day in Shibuya Station, Amamiya Ren glanced up at him, meeting his eyes. It would appear his earlier assumption was incorrect; Amamiya had grey-blue eyes, clear and calm and for a second Goro forgets himself. He was just barely shorter. He filed away this new information.

He introduced himself formally, mostly out of politeness, and Amamiya simply nodded. He... didn’t say much. Goro was disappointed. He wasn't expecting to be recognised but _some_ form of interest in his company would have been appreciated. Despite the one-sided conversation, there was a small, rising suspicion. Goro paused, thinking of how to best phrase this before continuing. "What is your favourite colour, Amamiya-san?"

Amamiya paused, surprised, and understandably so. For the most part, the topic they (read: Goro) had been discussing was primarily impersonal, centering around recent news events. He took another moment to reply before deflecting, "What's yours?"

It seemed that, with Amamiya, no information is given without a fair exchange. Goro is suddenly aware that he has to be careful with what he said. The full truth was completely out of the question, but a lie about something so inconsequential would likely be a chore to remember. He settled on a half lie. "I haven't seen them all yet."

Again, his words seem to surprise Amamiya. The topic of soulmates was deeply romanticized with overtly mawkish flair; it was the kind of subject Goro would, under usual circumstances, refuse to engage in. “You haven't met your soulmate?"

"Not exactly." Again, another half-truth. To have a soulmate, he would need some form of _humanity_ , and Goro was certain he signed that away years ago.

"Nor have I."

Goro had been expecting it, but still - the confirmation stings his pride in a unique, particular way. Something small, hurt and childish wondered that perhaps he wasn't good enough. It wouldn't be the first time he lacked worth. But no, this was not the time to entertain such notions. He was better than this, and he knew his own worth.

"Would you mind talking with me again?" He asked. “I rarely find anyone so willing to disagree with me. It’s a welcome change.”

Amamiya glanced to his left. "If the opportunity arises."

It wasn't quite the confirmation Goro was hoping for, but it wasn't a _no_ either. Due to sheer luck, the other was not on the same wavelength as Goro, and he wouldn't have to worry about awkward rejections; he was able to maintain his life on his own terms. "Thank you. I look forward to our discussions."

For a long moment, he feels _connected_ to something other than his Personas. It was a vastly unfamiliar feeling. Even when leaving to engage in more customary niceties, the warmth of the connection remained, scarcely traceable but still _there_.

Before Amamiya left with the rest of his class, he glanced back at him.

Goro pretended not to notice, acting as though the topic of camera angles held some substance, but he was basking in the attention. At least, this time, he had made an impression.

He left soon after the Shujin students with an odd sense of satisfaction. After work was completed, he opted to drop by his school and collect the information on what parts of the syllabus were covered. Goro wasn't particularly concerned with his schooling, but he was at a critical point in his education where one poorly graded test would throw his trajectory.

Unfortunately, he was due to endure the monthly _'debriefing'_ with Shido. In other words, Shido told him who to murder and Goro pretended that he actually gave a damn about the politics involved.

He waited in the waiting room for about half an hour - Shido did love to make him wait - before being called in. He plastered on a neutral expression. One of the only benefits for working with Shido was that he wouldn't have to pretend to be courteous, and as a result, no pleasantries were exchanged.

The benefits did not, of course, outweigh the many, many downsides, such as Shido randomly interfering with plans that had nothing to do with him. Being accusatory would not help, so he inclined his head. "I wasn't aware that Shujin was part of the studio's student program."

"It isn't." Shido agreed, smirking at the very thinly veiled annoyance.

Some day, Goro would have the honour of plunging a dagger into his chest. "Then why were they allowed?"

"I assume you've been made aware of the Phantom Thieves?"

This was rhetorical, so Goro didn't reply as Shido launched into one of his usual tangents. Very _90s-villain_ esque. It was almost laughable, though Goro supposed the only thing that truly separated them from classic villany was that he _didn't_ monologue.

Perhaps he should give it a try. Shido seemed to be having a blast, after all. 

Goro had seen the Phantom Thieves request coming, of course. It was far too suspicious that the Phantom Thieves would start their movement with a low-levelled criminal, no matter how deserving he was. 

Plus, there were always the glaring typos on a handful of the calling cards. It was either a masterful deflection to point towards students, or a student not so gifted with linguistic skills had written it.

With what was frankly a herculean workload, Goro was dismissed to 'deal with it'. Not exactly his idea of a good time, but if it would advance his plan, it would eventually be worth it. Three more people to kill, and an entire organisation - though new and unrefined - to take down.

Right. _Fuck that_.

He had an early morning, and he wasn't staying up until midnight _again_. For the first time in months, he decided to give himself a break, and headed to his apartment without so much as a pass by the Metaverse.

Surpassing all expectations and revolutionizing his usual dietary habits, he actually managed to put together an entire bowl of readymade noodles. Sometimes his health consciousness astonished even himself.

After he had finished with his food and his sudden bout of nihilism, he prepared his equipment for the next day. Another interview, around six o'clock - morning, of course, because what is life if not endless suffering?

 _Needlessly dramatic_.

In his tired state, he was losing discipline over his thoughts. He checked the time. At any rate, he might actually achieve a commendable seven hours of sleep. With such _thrilling_ prospects in mind, he settled into his bed and closed his eyes.

It never truly felt as though he was sleeping, but one moment, he was thinking with direct, concentrated thoughts, and the next, he was slipping into nothingness.

There was no gradual transition to his state; one moment he was sleeping, the next, he was not. It was cold - if Goro were to exhale, then his breath would condense before his eyes. The temperature of this situation scarcely mattered. He opened his eyes, squinting against the darkness. 

For the first time in over ten years - just barely after the awakening of Loki - he found himself in the same frigid, sparse room. He had vague recollections of what had happened that day, but it had mostly been blocked from his memory. All he could recall of this place was how _trapping_ it had felt. 

He was reminded of this feeling as he got to his feet. Checked for his dagger. There was nothing there, things were never convenient for him, so he would have to rely on hand-to-hand combat. Goro realised, abruptly, he was in his 'detective' clothing. _Great_.

The feeling of this room was too similar to the Metaverse, though his surroundings weren't the usual grim concrete, or even of the hideously garish tint of a Palace. It seemed that this place was quite normal, asides from the disconcerting instinct demanding him to escape. An office, perhaps? He turned to get a more panoramic view of his surroundings.

This revealed that he was not alone.

Goro was being watched by a man hunched over a desk, one with bloodshot, bulging eyes and a long, hooked nose. There was a large stack of tomes to his right, and a lamp close to his left arm, one which glimmered with unnatural brightness. It gave the figure an almost ominous glow. When he smiled, his teeth were sharp and crooked. "It has been quite some time, has it not?"

There was no sense of a threat here, unless he attacked first. Goro crossed his arms, taking in his surroundings once more. Besides a door that was softly glowing blue, two smartly dressed children stood, one wielding a rather fierce looking baton, the other with a clipboard. Neither were looking at him, though it was clear they wanted to.

He turned his attention back to the man. "Why am I back here?"

The man was still smiling, his eyes unblinkingly locked on Goro. It wasn't an intentional intimidation tactic, but it worked regardless. "An unprecedented change has occurred."

" _This_ is due to your own choices!" One of the girls added, voice pitched and accusing, as though Goro had any control over the current situation. He glanced over at them to find that it was the baton-holding girl who spoke, and was now glaring at him. “ _You_ have forged your first contract!”

_Contract?_

Goro decided that he didn't care.

"I don't care." He said bluntly.

"He doesn't care." Baton mocked, nudging the twin wearing braids with a pointy elbow. She took a half-step forward, and sneered at him. With the movement, it revealed that she had an eyepatch against the right side of her face. "He doesn't even _know_ what he doesn't care about!"

"Such rudeness..." Braids sighed, and Goro wasn't sure which one of them she was addressing with that comment. Likely both, but truthfully, he didn’t care.

"This has been fun." Goro stated, infliction flat. "Now, how do I head back?"

"If you wish to leave, you can." The man gestured at the door Goro had noticed earlier, situated between the twins. At his inclination, the door gaped open, adding a stunningly bright light. The moment he dropped his hand to fold it neatly against his desk, the door slammed shut. Neither twin flinched. For a moment, he wondered that if he tried to leave, Baton would throttle him.

Though, standing here wouldn't do much for him. He walked forward, the sounds of his footsteps somehow indecent against the silence, and tried the door. It was locked. Goro wasn't sure why he had expected such a clear answer. He made a frustrated noise, moving back to his original position, away from the identical reproachful looks from both children. "What the hell is this?"

"It _means_ you don't _want_ to leave yet." Baton rolled her eyes, as though it should have been obvious. She turned to her twin and jutted a thumb at him. "Was he _always_ this slow?"

He ignored Baton, causing a loud squawk of outrage, in favour of addressing the man by the desk. It would make sense that part of his subconscious wasn’t entirely prepared to move on. There was far too little understanding, and not knowing would likely irritate him in the future. "I have some questions I want you to answer."

"I don't like this one." Braids murmured.

"Who are you?" Goro pressed.

"That's quite the question. I am considered the gatekeeper between your world and the realms above and below." The man gave his sharp, shark-toothed smile. "But you may call me Igor."

Igor. There was likely significance behind this name, but that was to be discovered at a later date. Goro didn’t have the resources here - wherever _here_ was. This brought him to the next question. "What is this place?"

"The Velvet Room." Such a name implied decadence, and not the small, dim office reality he was standing in. As though sensing his thoughts, Igor added, "It is a representation of how your cognitive world perceives the gift of your Persona. For some, it may appear as say, a prison. For you, however, it seems you see your Persona as little more than the means to an end."

This statement seemed accurate enough. He surveyed his surroundings once more. Cold, clinical, and with a door that doesn't open for him.

How _maudlin_.

"A Persona is the physical representation of someone’s spirit, yes?" Goro said. It was rhetorical, but Igor nodded anyway, _still_ smiling. "My soul has been artificially fractured, which obviously caused Loki to be introduced. Two Personas, two different ensembles. Neither are truly mine, are they?”

This much was simple. Despite how glaringly obvious it was, Igor seemed impressed, his grin broadening and he leaned forward. "Yes. Your soul has been fractured. It means you can never represent your true spirit; with the lack of stability, it makes it nigh impossible for a soul to connect with yours."

"Oh no. That's too bad." Goro deadpanned, unbothered. A long pause, because _something_ didn’t quite add up. "Then _why_ can I see colour? Why can I see colour if my soul cannot connect with someone else?"

"Only you carry that answer."

This was _obviously_ a lie, though it seemed neither Igor nor the twins would reveal any information anytime soon. He paused, thinking of more questions to ask. "What contract have I formed?”

"Girls?" The man drew their attention, then beckoned them to answer.

"The Universe Persona." Braids stated. She has a card in her hand, one that certainly wasn't there a few moments ago, and reveals it. "The end of a chapter - a pause in life - and the preparation of a new beginning."

He would bet yen on the fact that Ren Amamiya was to blame for all of this. First there was the fact that he had somehow managed to get Goro’s ‘soul’ to bond to him, and now Goro was in the middle of fucking nowhere with an intense feeling of exasperation. He scoffed. "I have no need for this."

"You used to be more patient." Braids muttered.

" _Bonds_ can also be broken." Igor added. "However, I must warn you, the results of such are unfathomable; such a feat has never even been thought of.”

Goro considered it. It was obvious what his answer should be; either take a risk to get rid of a bond he couldn’t even feel to unknown consequences, or completely disregard the entire thing, as he was content to do a month or so earlier. He shook his head. "No. It's pointless, I don't need to waste any more time on this."

Igor seemed mildly disappointed at that response.

Though, that hardly mattered - with no more burning questions, Goro headed to the door. Surprisingly, it clicked open. He paused, hesitating. There wasn’t anything guaranteeing that this would actually send him back to his realm. Without warning, he felt a strong force hit against the back of his calf, and he stumbled, jolting upright and - finding himself back in bed, in his apartment.

It took a second to realise what had happened, but when he worked it out, he swore.

That little fucker struck him with her goddamn baton. Goro just fucking _knew_ she couldn’t be trusted with _any_ sort of weapon. As it were, the ache in his leg indicated a rather severe bruising. _So much for his seven hours of sleep_. Goro wondered if they were doing this on purpose, ruining his one day free.

With a groan, he leaned back. A brief glance at the alarm clock told him it was two in the morning. Though. Something didn't make sense, and it was likely important if Igor did not want to tell him. Yes, his soul was fractured. Therefore, it cannot function with efficiency. By all means, he should not be able to see colour, let alone forge a (what had Braids called it?) _contract_ with anyone.

Just one more work day, and then he would be able to find more answers on Sunday. Though, he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep after the whole incident, especially after being hit by some eight-year-old hard enough to leave damage. He resigned himself to an early morning - not surprising. An hour later, after preparing some Sencha, the answer hits him - his fractured soul, his colours, his _soulmate._

_Your soul has been fractured._

_This makes it nigh impossible for a soul to connect with yours._

_(But this does not mean your soul - souls, for both of them are of one essence - cannot connect with others.)_

So that was it, then.

But this - how pathetic it all was, how pathetic he was becoming - was sheer humiliation, unbearable and suffocating. He shook his head, dismissing the lingering and entirely useless feelings of inadequacy. Within a minute or so, he had booted up his laptop, researching _unrequited soul bonds_. Nothing new was recovered. By all accounts, it should never have happened.

Additionally, he researched the name Igor. The first few results were of warriors, and slavic descent, but with little prying, it also revealed that Igor was a more colloquial term for ‘lab assistant’. In which case, it would seem that Igor was not the one that held the power, but the two twins guarding the door.

This didn’t make particular sense to Goro, so he decided that it was a false lead, sending the new information to the backburner. In the grand scheme of things, none of this was important. Regardless, that hallway. _Their promise_. The very promise that forged their - _his_ , due to the unfortunate nature of his bond - contract.

In order to break a bond, he would need to first understand why his soul had chosen to latch onto Amamiya. And then, slowly, he would crush every single goddamn connection under his heel. It was still mortifying but planning his success took the sting away. Next, he accessed the Shujin Academy files, refining his search by excluding any students with recent injuries. This took off about fourteen. Then, he removed any people with severe respiratory issues - a further twenty were gone. Palaces were difficult, and required someone to be at prime fitness. One would be unable to ward off several shadows whilst having an asthma attack.

This still left hundreds of students in the database. It was going to take time, but the best thing to do was to be patient. Sooner or later, the Phantom Thieves would strike again, and this time, Goro would be ready.

With a fleeting moment of pause, he clicked back to the long list of names. Near the top of the list, under _Agata, Misha_ was the name _Amamiya, Ren_. Perhaps his school records would help Goro make sense of the unwanted connection.

In his file, there was no school picture, confirming the idea that Amamiya was new. Additionally, he had a criminal record. _Assault,_ of all things. Judging by the notes written by the principal, he wasn’t too keen on having a convict in his school - though, Goro noted dryly, he seemed all too happy having a predator in a position of power. Amamiya was fourteen months his junior, with no medical conditions, and a prior injury of a shoulder dislocation. His current address was stated to be in Yongen-Jaya, above Cafe Leblanc.

The name sounded familiar.

Leblanc, the same place Sae had recommended to him, likely out of guilt from harassing the owner. That would be his excuse, then. It would mean that Goro would have to make Amamiya his main link into the rumours surrounding the school, assuming that he would actually relax around him and not look as though he wanted to bolt to the nearest exit.

Content that the beginnings of his plans were consolidated on a firm foundation, he closed his laptop with a neat click, and decided to prepare for the morning ahead.

• • •

Five days later, a calling card is addressed to Ichiryusai Madarame, and the game is on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, even it's to say this is fine so I know I'm not going downhill
> 
> The edit was for minor grammar stuff  
> And yet still, I left in the sentence: estimated an estimate of 4 hours

Naturally, Goro was one of the first people to be informed.

Madarame was certainly a step up from their previous target, and whilst he did not have the contacts to find someone to sort out the situation, _Shido_ did. Within a meagre two hours of discovering the calling card, the entirety of Shido’s organisation was aware of what the contents were, and what the threat implied.

Presently, it was mid morning. Goro guessed that he had an estimated four hours to burn before the Phantom Thieves made their first move. Regardless, if he was incorrect in his rough prediction, he could risk missing a very concrete lead. This meant that, unfortunately, he would have to waste time outside of Madarame’s property.

After approximately half an hour of shrewd evaluation, Goro selected the most opportune area to pass time - a place with mild concealment via shrubbery, far enough for the average observer to not notice him, but close enough to be able to monitor the happenings of the house.

 _House,_ of course, being quite the liberal term.

Not much happened outside; it would seem Madarame was a humble recluse, or was at least going to great lengths to appear that way. Goro pulled out the Nav, deciding to pass the time by guessing code words. He was only half invested, as it wouldn’t really matter if he was correct. He would follow the Phantom Thieves at a distance, not lead the way and risk detection.

"Ichiryusai Madarame."

_Palace found._

Now for the code word.

He evaluated all the information he had garnered about the target. Renowned artist. One that enjoyed all that was granted to him with his status; he basked in the fame, despite his deferential and meek facade. So, a place where he was admired would be in order. What was a place where artists could be admired? Simple enough. “Museum.”

Even if his success didn’t truly matter in the grand scheme of things, he still had a sense of gratification. Only one guess, put forward in under a minute of consideration.

With the access to the Palace sorted without much ceremony, he began to research the public opinion of the Phantom Thieves. This garnered a few thousand results, with the first ones consisting of criticisms or his interview earlier in the week. News of their organisation hadn’t spread earnestly outside of Japan, which was good. The last thing he needed was international scrutiny. After little digging, Goro was able to unearth some form of fansite.

 _Phantom Thieves Aficionado._ Comments were few and far between. Most were either neutral or outright positive, with no negative opinions to be found. It was likely monitored, then. As though this site held profound importance. To make matters ten times more amusing, the admin had seen his interview condemning the group, and had taken it upon himself to write a scathing essay. The three pages would take too long to read, so he read the first sentence and decided to summarize it from there.

He thought for a moment or so, took a note of the time, and then decided to test the site with a comment.

_‘The Phantom Thieves are dangerous.'_

There was no immediate removal, which meant that the admin was manually sorting through each comment. He refreshed the page every minute. After ten rounds of this, his comment was finally deleted. It meant that whoever ran the page had a wealth of free time, and had limited social engagement - they had nothing better to do on a Sunday. Additionally, some of the posts on the page ask the Phantom Thieves to influence people in their personal lives. 

Most requests were sourced in Shujin Academy, the epicentre of the reveal of the Phantom Thieves. Some of the requests had updates stating that the change had happened, but there was no telling how accurate this was.

The admin of the page was likely a Shujin student too, especially given the creation of said site was exactly one day after Kamoshida’s resignation, well before there was mass media attention. They were definitely not a member of the Phantom Thieves, though - they had far too much spare time - but profoundly dedicated nonetheless.

 _So_. A socially unpopular Shujin student with unmediated contact to the Phantom Thieves, and one that benefited directly from the first ‘change of heart’.

"Are you sure you’re ready?” A voice - feminine - asked, cutting through his thoughts. Before putting his phone away, he checked the time once more. Three hours had passed. Goro sighed, pocketing his phone, and shifting slightly so he was able to watch the newcomers. The voice continued, ”You don't have to join us."

Four people.

He recognised three of them within an instance.

 _Great, fucking great_.

At this point, Goro knew that he truly shouldn’t be surprised that Ren Amamiya was a member of the Phantom Thieves. Not just a member, either - judging by the way the other members were looking towards him, he was the leader . The two people directly by his sides were the blondes that had been seated with him during that day in the studio.

The fourth person, however, was a stranger to Goro, and it seemed that he was a new addition. Though, he was certain that without too much effort, he would be able to discover the stranger’s identity.

Amamiya said something, too quiet to be overheard, and the group nodded. He then held something up for them to see - likely his own Nav - and stated in a solid, clear voice, "Museum."

Then, the next second, they were gone, leaving Goro with the strange, unfamiliar sense that he hadn’t seen them there in the first place. The discouraged feeling that he was left with took a moment to disappitate. It would seem that this was the built in defense of all things Metaverse. Maybe, without his Nav, he would have continued his day, completely assured that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

This didn’t _matter_ , though. Despite the fact that this was his first time witnessing Nav users other than himself and therefore opened a room of questions, he still had a job to do.

Madarame’s Palace was an eyesore. Even though he had been expecting it, such a drastic alteration of the surroundings caused some degree of incredulity - specifically with the gaudy amount of gold, and the enormous amount of people trailing out from the centre of the building.

_Very subtle, Madarame._

Goro ducked behind a wall, keeping his back pressed against the stone. The group of four - five, if he included the strange, vaguely feline appearing creature that had come out of nowhere - were gathered in the centre of the parking lot. They were still novices when it came to the Metaverse, but still, they moved with a worn familiarity.

Out of all of them, Amamiya looked most like a thief. It suited him, in an odd way - complimented his quiet disposition to add a sense of understated danger. Most significantly, however, was the change in how he carried himself. He had a confident, laid-back slouch to his shoulders, his voice soft but commanding. The other members obeyed without question, accepting Amamiya’s authority.

It was fascinating and inviting and a complete reversal of the previous attitude that Amamiya had shown.

After positions had been arranged and provisions had been evenly distributed, the group began onwards, taking a side entrance with an ease that implied practice. Goro followed them at a distance, with Loki’s influence on his appearance helping him blend into the darkness. As he followed, for a split second, he thought he saw a familiar blue door. Upon closer inspection, it was a mere trick of the light.

For the most part, the group had easy access through the Palace. It would seem they had already cleared a route straight to the manifestation (or ‘Treasure’, as the blond kept loudly wondering about). The strange little creature seemed to have a more navigational role, but it was obvious they were just barely scraping by with their current state of disorganisation.

As they advanced - with himself being just out of sight - it became apparent that they were individually weak. The current shadow they were facing made this abundantly clear. 

"Skull, pay attention!" A pitched voice called as the blond - Skull - missed another melee shot, resulting in quite a spectacular stumble. The voice belonged to the strange creature; somehow, it was talking, though not fighting. It stayed on the sidelines as the other four fought. “Come on, stop being pathetic! Actually _try!_ ”

Skull swore loudly at the creature, then hissed, "I _am_ , but it's a bit _difficult_ , considering the fact that this thing is literally made of heads!"

This distraction caused Skull to be vulnerable to attacks, but due to some miracle, the shadow was fixed on attacking the new addition. Goro, despite having no personal investment, felt a profound exasperation at the sheer _stupidity_ both Skull and the creature were exhibiting.

Amamiya seemed to feel the same way, as he shouted, “Mona, you’re on analysis. Skull, if you can’t land a hit, then focus on support.”

Both team members immediately yelled their affirmation and stopped their childish bickering.

Just by one look, Goro can tell that Robin Hood would make short work of it with even the weakest blessing attack. Upon this thought, he felt the strings binding him to his other Persona tense, but as he was in no danger, he felt no need to pull Robin Hood forth.

The fighting group wasn’t struggling by any means, though, with their current band - fire, electricity, curse and ice - it would take a long time to achieve anything. At least Mona was finally doing its job, and shouted, “Joker! We’ve tried all types of attacks, barring one - it’s up to you!”

Amamiya smirked, closed his eyes, and then-

Then-

" _Nigi Mitama!_ "

The tall, skeletal Persona that had stood on guard behind Amamiya disappeared without a trace, and just as suddenly, a new Persona formed. This, of course, should be impossible. Amamiya should not have been able to swap his Personas, just like that, with no change to his appearance. A Persona was a representation of someone’s soul, and to be able to _change it with no effort-_

"Oh, that shadow is _so_ screwed!” Skull shouted, gleeful, as though he had any contribution to the fight beyond falling over his own feet.

Apparently, the blonde was of the same opinion, and called, "Yeah, like you had anything to do with it!"

The squabbling did not phase Amamiya, as he outstretched his hand, causing the Persona behind him to glow with holy light. " _Makouha!_ "

The shadow dissolved into the wind with a cloud of black smoke. None of the group stirred, still tense in formation, just in case another shadow appeared. For a moment, the caution almost impressed Goro, before he recalled the sheer length of that fight over a basic enemy.

Then, Amamiya relaxed, gesturing ahead. “Right. Let’s move forward. Panther and Mona, go on front. Skull, in the middle - you need to recover for Madarame. Fox and I will stay back.”

With that, the group rearranged itself, and they moved forward.

Goro decided to head back. He didn’t need to watch them any further - all potential information to be garnered he had already discovered. The only real threat the Phantom Thieves posed was with their leader. A leader who defied all of the previous rules Goro had thought were true for the Metaverse.

What the fuck did that mean? Did it mean that Amamiya had a fractured soul, too? No, if Amamiya was like him, then not only would his appearance switch with each Persona, but Goro wouldn’t be soul bonded to him. It made no sense. The only options were to either ask Amamiya - and give himself away - or wait until he was called into the velvet room again, if such an event ever was to happen.

He headed to the main entrance of the Metaverse. He was prepared for a long, tough day; he might as well sort out the three people Shido had targeted.

The first two were easy enough to dispatch - the usual trend with those selected was that they were equally power hungry, rapacious bastards who had no qualms trampling anyone else in their paths. By their own logic - dog eat dog - it would be fair for Goro to crush them in his stride.

The last one, however.

Goro was by no means deluded. He was an assassin, a glorified murderer, an irredeemable monster; no amount of justification would ever change that, no matter how corrupt the vast majority of his victims were. Then there were the select few Shido put on the frontline on a whim. These people stayed with him, and at his lowest moments, Goro recalled their faces.

This woman was the wife of a very prevalent politician. The man himself was shockingly not distorted enough to have his own shadow, so Shido had decided to go for someone close to him. The distortion around her was scarce but heavy, indicating a pre-existing mental illness. Most likely depression.

The shadows often tried to talk with him and beg for their lives, with her being no exception, but Goro never replied. Her shadow was easy to dispatch, with almost no resistance, as though she had just given up.

It was far too reminiscent of the moment he had awoken his first Persona.

The comparison made him feel nauseated, so he pushed it to the back of his mind and returned to his apartment. Sleep did not come easy that night, but then again, it never did.

• • •

Madarame’s ‘ _change of heart’_ became something of a mild inconvenience.

The added proof of the existence of the Phantom Thieves had caused a subtle shift in opinions. All of a sudden, people were taking sides, and those sides were becoming more and more polarised. Even with the general consensus condemning Madarame and his extortion, public opinion of the organisation still leaned mostly in Goro’s favour. People were often afraid of power that they were unable to utilise themselves.

This caused Goro to have to suffer through more interviews, and with _more_ interviews he would have less time pursuing his decidedly illegal activities. By the time the week ended, Goro was just _tired_. At least it was a Sunday, and his schedule was therefore clear.

With no official engagements and an abundance of time to burn, he headed to Shibuya station, then took the direct to Yongen-Jaya. He opted for his typical smart attire, pale buttoned up shirt and slim black trousers, wanting to set a somewhat decent impression.

 _Keep your enemies closer_ , and other such sayings.

Cafe Leblanc was simple enough to locate. It was only a five minute walk from the station, though he did hold the usual caution of one who did not fully know their surroundings. After a few turns into different alleyways, he had arrived. The exterior of the cafe was unassuming enough, and, with a single glance inside, he could tell that this place wasn't the most successful.

This was another point in its favour - less people, more anonymity. 

Inside, the adornments were rustic, and had the odd but strangely soothing scent of curry and freshly ground coffee beans. The colour scheme was dark, though that may be due to the sun leaning away from the west-facing windows. By the center of the counter, a middle aged man glanced up from his newspaper and slowly arched an eyebrow. "Are you lost?"

It was not the most friendly reception he had ever received. Though, simultaneously, he strongly preferred the gruff responses to the sycophantic servitude.

"This is Cafe Leblanc, yes?" Goro took a small half-step forward. The man paused, then nodded once, still staring at him with suspicion. Goro wondered at the customer service. Though, he supposed the rough attitude was proportional to the low business. This man was likely invested in his craft. Either that, or he currently didn’t have the means to change his career. Perhaps a healthy mixture of both.

After deeming Goro suitable to serve, the man prepared the ordered house blend, and gave him a lazy gesture to sit down. He did so, near the counter, closest to the door, and watched the man with curiosity. After a few minutes, a cup was placed in front of him.

He waited for it to cool before taking a sip.

 _Shit_. This was a damn fine drink. Sae was right, this place was a hidden gem.

The silence was abruptly broken by a loud crash upstairs. In response, the man seemed to hold himself back from shouting in front of a customer. Instead, he sighed, shook his head with exasperation, and resumed his newspaper reading. Some time passed before,abruptly, the owner’s mobile rang.

Another long-suffering, world weary sigh from the man. With a glance at the caller ID and then a polite inclining of his head, the man crossed the cafe and headed just outside of the door. A minute passed. Goro looked over to the newspaper, which was open on the second page and contained the dual attention grabbing statements of ‘ _Masayoshi Shido gaining lead in Tokyo_ ’ and ‘ _Terrifying serge in mental breakdowns’._

There were more sounds coming from upstairs. Then, the sound of rapid footsteps.

“Boss, I’m going to-” 

_Amamiya._

Goro had almost forgotten the main purpose of his visit after the introduction of a warm beverage. He hadn’t truly been expecting to cross paths with Amamiya, though, given that the middle of a weekend and the other had proved himself quite sociable. By all means, he should be out with his friends, perhaps making Goro’s life more irritating by targeting high profile individuals. They stared at each other for a long time. Amamiya cleared his throat. "Ah. Good morning.”

Despite himself, Goro's lips twitched upwards, and he corrected, “Good _afternoon._ ”

“Afternoon?” Amamiya repeated blankly. He glanced at the clock, then gave a sheepish look. “Oh. Good afternoon.”

Goro looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. The less personal details - such as whether or not he was a morning person - he knew about Ren, the better. At the same time, he couldn’t keep a complete distance, given the circumstances. Amamiya was his rival, and being as such, Goro was required to keep tabs on him, just to make sure he kept having the upper hand.

The bell attached to the door chimed loudly, startling them both. The man - ' _Boss_ ' - leaned into the doorway, phone still in his hand, and fixed them a long, evaluative look. Amamiya seemed accustomed to the scrutiny, not reacting to it.

"Emergency. You can sort out the..." Boss spared a long, dispassionate glance at the empty chairs and tables. "Customers.”

Goro bit back a smile.

Amamiya was stuck, and they both knew it.

"Understood." Amamiya acquiesced, surprisingly not arguing. As Boss left the cafe. Amamiya quietly put on an apron and stepped behind the counter. He then began to pointedly focus on the newspaper Boss had discarded, either unaware of or not caring about Goro carefully regarding him.

He seemed content in the silence, or at least as content as he could be accounting for his general and completely undeserved disdain for Goro.

Well, perhaps not completely. Goro _did_ publicly denounce his moral code on live television, but in the grand scheme of all the unkind things he’s done, it was barely a graze, and certainly not deserving of the cold behaviour. Though, he was becoming distracted. The purpose of this exercise was to garner information from his rival, not awkwardly stare at him as he wiped down the counter. "I'm sorry, it appears I have forgotten your name."

As if such a thing would happen.

Though, it was an icebreaker; a way to get the conversation to start. He would have to exercise a relative element of caution, though - Amamiya didn’t want to talk to him, and that put Goro at a keen disadvantage. Amamiya tilted his head, possibly picking up on the lie. Regardless of his eventual conclusion, he answered, "Amamiya."

"Well, Amamiya-san, won't you join me for some coffee and conversation? There aren't many who talk freely with me."

“That’s not very professional.” Amamiya raised an eyebrow, as though Boss was the sort of man who genuinely cared about workplace propriety. Though, he was considering the conversation, Goro could tell. Eventually, he nodded, realising that Goro was serious about not going anywhere until he had finished his coffee, and that complete silence would be far less awkward. "What would you like to discuss?"

The answer was spoken before Goro had fully registered his words. "Colour."

Amamiya paused in making his own coffee. He stared intently at Goro, brows just barely creased, once again caught off guard by the discussion of colour and - by extension - soulmates. Then, all at once, it was as though nothing out of the ordinary had ever been said. His expression smoothed over. "Colour? Have you decided on what your favourite is, then?"

"I wouldn't say I have, no." Goro had - it was green - but that wasn’t the point of the exercise. "And please, drop the honorifics."

Amamiya simply nodded, finishing off his cup of coffee, and added no further comment. Goro repressed a long sigh. It seemed that he still had a conversation to carry. "It's a curious matter, is it not? How we bind to each other based on sight. On fate."

At this, there was another small frown. Amamiya glanced at him. "I didn't think you would consider fate worthwhile."

Goro smiled. "I don't."

This rewarded him with a look of appraisal, one which Goro felt oddly uncomfortable against. He matched the look with one of his own, before realising that he could be taken as acting defensive. Instead of seeming offended, or put off, Amamiya offered a slight smile. "Does that mean you consider soulmates worthless?"

"I have yet to see an advantage to it." Goro answered, truthful enough. A soulmate was something he simply didn’t need. The ability of seeing colour didn’t particularly enrich his life, but it didn’t hinder him.

"I like the idea of soulmates." Amamiya shrugged, because of course he did. It was ironic, given the circumstances; Goro, who knew that soulmates were a weakness at worst and nothing at best, was stuck with one, whereas Amamiya, who 'liked the idea', was entirely unaware of the bond between them. He added, "I guess that's another difference between us."

“I suppose it is.” A silence fell between them, but this time, it felt almost _comfortable_. Goro might even dare to say it was companionable. They both enjoyed their respective drinks, with Goro finishing first. He stood, offering Amamiya a smile. "It was nice talking with you."

Or _at_ you, given the lack of engagement.

That was fine, Goro could change this. He gave a small incline of his head as a farewell, one that was returned with a small smile, and then headed outside. Despite learning nothing new, he left for Shijo station, satisfied at accomplishing something.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls comment it sparks joy

As predicted, there was no overt Phantom Thieves related activity, outside of the speculation of an emergence of copycat calling cards in the capital. The fact that the leader of the Phantom Thieves had been standing next to him when the news was released held a sense of dramatic irony. It was the lack of new information and his decision to take a break from interviews that left him with an abundance of spare time each day. 

More often than not, he would take the public transit to his school.

Goro wasn't deluded enough to try and disguise it for anything other than what it was - he simply wanted to talk _with_ Amamiya about _something_ , just to gain some form of rapport and trust. Unfortunately, attempting small talk Amamiya Ren was usually like trying to get blood from a stone.

It became something of a strange pet project; he would see Amamiya in Shibuya station perhaps once a week (never more than twice), with Amamiya always arriving beforehand and reluctantly allowing him to approach. Each time, he was the one who would have to initiate conversation, and would be rewarded with one-worded answers. If the gods of fate deemed him worthy, Goro would perhaps manage to wrangle an entire sentence. 

With the admittedly limited morning run-ins, Goro decided to completely cut out his original plan of coffee runs, even if he _did_ enjoy the house blend. Too much contact would show one of two outcomes; Amamiya would either withdraw further away from the intrusions, or he would become suspicious.

He wasn’t entirely sure about what about this situation that irked him so much; Amamiya’s indifference should have been a welcomed relief, given that Goro wouldn’t have to waste too much time in strengthening social bonds. Perhaps _irk_ wasn’t the correct word - it was downright perplexing. Goro hadn’t had any missteps, and yet he was being kept at an arm’s length from Amamiya, being given bland niceties when they both knew Amamiya to be capable of more.

It didn’t help that the other was highly social despite his introversion, making a variety of close friends as though it were second nature. Goro didn’t sense any animosity towards him, but there certainly weren’t any of the pleased little smiles he wore whenever he randomly walked into a wandering member of the Phantom Thieves - or just about anyone that wasn’t him.

Truthfully, it was difficult to not take personally.

However, he was anything if not tenacious. The aloofness was a barrier that could be eventually overcome with determination and a fixation on befriending Amamiya out of sheer stubbornness alone.

The changes in Amamiya’s demeanour were damn near impossible to win, and even with all the effort Goro was putting in, it all amassed to small and insignificant victories. These were victories nonetheless, and they were often implemented at the most random of times. One moment, Goro was approaching Amamiya to earn a short discussion about how the weather was ( _‘Appalling weather today; I can’t say I care for the gloom. Though, you don’t seem bothered. Do you like the rain?’, ‘Yeah’ -_ the intellectual stimulation was something akin to reading the iliad). The next moment, _he_ was the one being approached to discuss the innate nature of humanity.

The following day, they were back to discussing the goddamn weather.

 _One step forward, two steps back_.

Then, all of a sudden, these run-ins became far more limited. It seemed that, for the duration of exactly one week, Amamiya was simply overrun with all of the Phantom Thieves keeping him company. To add to this, Amamiya seemed far more tired than Goro had ever seen, an expression matched by all of his friends.

It didn’t take a genius to piece it all together, and when Kaneshiro - who was perhaps Shido’s strongest connection to the underworld - uncovered a calling card on his windshield, the only person who wasn’t surprised about it was Goro. It seemed that, this time, the threat the Phantom Thieves posed was becoming far too real for them. Though, nobody complained when Goro simply didn’t do anything about the change of heart.

When Shido asked about it, he had lied through his teeth. Stated that they were using codenames, which was true enough, and pretended that he simply didn’t recognise any of the members. As long as Shido believed they had no solid leads on the identity of the Thieves, then Goro would not have to tip his hand. It would be more convenient to take down both the Thieves and Shido in one fell swoop.

Simultaneously, though, by revealing their names, none of his plans would change. Yet, still, he was reluctant.

This was the possibly the single most aggravating, least rewarding endeavour Goro had decided to undertake. Shido was an arrogant bastard. Sae was too cautious. Amamiya was impossible to deal with, wasn’t even good company; most of their conversations gave him an irritating sense of deja-vu. Despite this, the thought of giving up a direct approach and opting to watch the leader of the Thieves from the sidelines had never occurred to him.

He had a routine, though with the binate burdens of observing Amamiya and his group’s activities as well as dealing with Shido’s various demands during the aftermath of a vital collapse in his connections. As a result, it meant that he was running on a strict timetable. All it took was for him to wake up fifteen minutes later than usual, and, for the first time in years, Goro found himself running far behind his schedule. He decided to skip breakfast and head to Shibuya station.

Four minutes until his train. Seventeen minutes later than usual. He gave a dissatisfied sigh, pocketing his phone. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pushed himself so hard in the Metaverse yesterday. Though, at the same time, he was there to force himself to the limits, especially if he were to deal with an entire group of Persona users, no matter how weak they currently were.

"You're later than usual."

Goro glanced behind him, surprised at being addressed. Amamiya was standing behind him, his usual impassive expression on his face. For an uncouth, unfiltered moment, a large fraction of him quite keenly wanted Ren to _smile_ at him. Even if it was just the once. It would make for a nice change, at least.

Though, simultaneously, the fact that Amamiya cared enough to even form a _‘usual’_ was a good sign. He leaned back on his heels, going for casual and aloof, then gave a modest shrug. "I can't afford to be late, even if my school allows it. Achieving a reasonable work-life balance is often quite difficult."

"Sounds tough.” Amamiya mused. 

"It is, though I can’t complain.” They lapsed into a silence, in which both of them watched the platform.. Goro slipped into his old habit of people watching, not bothering to engage in a conversation that would last only a handful of seconds. A pair of Amamiya’s friends stood a few paces to the right, engaged in a heated argument - _bickering,_ to be more precise - though Amamiya seemed content to stay in silence with Goro. Then, his train pulled up to their platform, and Amamiya glanced expectantly at him. He inclined his head. “Have a nice day.”

Amamiya mumbled a similar sentiment, stepping back slightly to allow the tide of people boarding and exiting the train to pass. It felt strangely reminiscent of their first meeting, though that didn’t matter.

His day passed slowly. There were so many better things he could be doing with his time instead of exchanging his finished homework for new ones. Though, he reminded himself that despite being a considerably affluent assassin, he still needed to focus on his education, lest he succumb to the terrible fate of mediocrity.

Afterwards, he made his way back home with a few hours left of the day to spare. He weighed up his options. It was a concern that he had struggled slightly in the Metaverse yesterday, and the switch between Robin Hood and Loki had taken more effort than usual. At the same time, he was tired. There was only so much coffee could do for him. 

As he walked small, pale blue glow caught his attention. He faltered in his steps, squinting at the anomaly. It was barely perceivable, and the light seemed to continue beyond the corner. There was a pause. Goro decided that he had nothing better to do with his time, and pursued it.

As he approached, the blur of light became more distinct, forming a softly glowing and profoundly familiar doorway, one that certainly _wasn’t_ there before. _The Velvet Room._ To its left, the girl with the braids was watching him. Her expression was severe, and she stepped forward, ignoring his surprise to see her there. “Our master wishes to speak with you.”

She was likely referring to Igor. He crossed his arms, suddenly feeling aggrieved at the authoritative tone. At least he wasn’t dealing with Baton. “Why?”

“He wishes to speak with you.” Braids repeated, stubborn.

“And what if I refuse?” Goro raised an eyebrow. Her expression twitched, giving away her distaste at his perceived impertinence. “What are you going to do, hit me with your clipboard?”

Perhaps goading her wasn’t his best idea. He still had the bruise, which was now a garish purple-yellow against the back of his leg delivered à la baton, and that was an experience he didn’t want to deal with again. Braids huffed, a haughty picture of disdain, and turned up her nose. “Refuse at your own peril.”

Goro supposed that was fair. He followed her through the doorway, grimacing at the sudden bout of coldness. The interior hadn’t changed in the slightest, and - though it was daytime - there was still the unusual, dimmed ambience. He resisted the urge to cross his arms and conserve the little body heat he had left, stepping further into the room.

Igor was sitting by his desk, his positioning exactly the same as beforehand. Goro wondered whether or not Igor even moved. Perhaps he couldn’t. He glanced behind him, at the now closed door. Braids had taken her place besides Baton, and they were both staring at him with matching stern expressions, daring him to question them. He ignored that and chose to address the hunched man. “You have a portal into my world.”

Igor inclined his head, acknowledging his point, but did not lift his eyes up to glance at the portal in question - he simply stared. Goro supposed that everything in this room was designed to unsettle him. “It is more of a tear within both planes of existence; a portal implies anything beyond happenstance.”

If he knew what could form a tear, he could potentially replicate it and have constant access to the Velvet Room. Such information could prove invaluable to him whilst battling other Persona users. “What makes these tears?”

“So many questions.” The voice seemed to just barely be holding in a perpetual tired sigh, so he was able to identify as Braids without looking over. He ignored her, though instead of loudly objecting like her twin would, she merely sighed again.

Igor watched the three of them curiously, but when it became apparent that none of them were adding any other comment, he blinked once. “Each tear is followed by felling a Palace; it leaves a void until a new Palace is developed. That void is temporarily filled by both the upper and lower planes binding together to form the Velvet room.”

That would not explain his first appearance in this strange room. After roughly a decade later, there was no mistaking the Velvet room. By Igor’s statement, it would mean that someone was using Personas beforehand, opening voids. “I’m aware of only one other group destroying Palaces. Were there organisations beforehand?”

“There are less direct means to dismantle Palaces. Therapy, for example.” This didn’t make too much sense to Goro. Why would another Palace form afterwards, and _how?_ He understood the requirements, but not the _method_. It just… didn’t make sense. Igor hummed. “I see you still do not understand.”

“Well, you’re not exactly forthcoming.” Goro raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean _‘a new Palace is developed?'"_

Again, Igor gave him a slow, unblinking look, and once again leaned in. “Your plane of existence is something of patchwork. By the destruction of a Palace, you are, in essence, unsewing a patch. By doing so, you leave a gap between this world and the one below, until a new patch can be sewn in.

“These worlds need balance.” Igor continued. “Have you noticed that, no matter how often you enter the Metaverse, there are always the same amount of Shadows? Or, perhaps, how your Persona gains strength after fighting its own?”

It wasn’t as though his Personas were getting stronger, though; ever since the introduction of the Universe confidant - Amamiya - he was beginning to notice a strain in his fighting style. It truly was taking more effort to summon.

This could mean only one thing - somehow, Amamiya was _weakening_ him. As though he was reading his thoughts, Igor added, “You have amassed unprecedented progress with developing your relationship with The Universe confidant."

" _How_?” Goro sneered, not bothering to hide his frustrations. “I wanted _no_ part in any of this.”

Igor hummed, looked for a moment as though he was considering his words. "You should conserve your energy; there is a long road ahead of you."

Goro didn’t even bother to ask. There was no point, and he didn’t want to get more frustrated at half-answers and condescending smiles. Instead, he opted to ask the more pressing question of, "How do I sever my bonds?"

Igor seemed genuinely taken aback by this. His glassy, bug-like eyes widened even further as he stared at Goro, shocked. It took five seconds to drag by before Igor finally recovered, leaning forward stiffly onto his desk to fix Goro a strange look. "It has never been tried. Are you sure you wish for this? After all, severing your bond will force a fraction of your soul to part."

It wasn’t as though Goro gave a damn about his ‘soul’ - something he couldn’t see, or sense, or control - and it was fractured once before. Another breakage would hardly do him any more damage. Though, it reminded him of the fact that he wasn’t entirely whole, yet was still bonded to someone - which meant that one of his Personas is directly linked to his bond with Amamiya.

"Which one?" Igor smiled, bearing his sharp, rat-like teeth in response, obviously not intending to give a set answer. "Damn it, tell me!"

"Quiet! Show some respect!" Baton shouted.

Goro gritted his teeth. “ _Fine_ , don’t tell me.”

The chances were split fifty-fifty, but currently, he didn’t need to take that risk. He was still strong, despite Amamiya’s attempts, and he was able to hold his own against a small group of _teenagers_ and some strange cat thing. He needed to plan, though, just in case, and made his way across the room. The door fell open with an ominous click. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Baton slowly raise her arm in preparation to strike, but this time, he was ready; the moment she moved, he swerved to the right, missing the hit by centimetres. Then, whilst she was still dazed after having failed her attack, Goro moved through the doorway, making his way back to his own world unharmed. There was no doubt that, should he somehow return, Baton would pay him back.

Being thrown back into his own world was yet another shock. He blinked at the light, scowling, but thankfully, he was completely alone. He glanced behind him; the door was still there, but even without trying the door, he could tell that it would be locked. With a scowl, he backed out of the alleyway, onto a busy street.

He made his way home, pulling out the case files and began to update them, noting the date in the top left corner.

 _Amamiya, Ren, aged sixteen. Alias: Joker. Elemental affinity unknown. Leader of the Phantom Thieves_.

He paused, then added: _Also enjoys the rain._

_Takamaki, Ann; aged sixteen. Alias: Panther. Elemental affinity: fire. Member of the Phantom Thieves._

_Sakamoto, Ryuji; aged sixteen. Alias: Skull. Elemental affinity: electricity. Member of the Phantom Thieves. During combat, target the left leg; past injury leaves him vulnerable to that attack._

_‘Mona’. Due to the trend of names, there is reason to believe that it is using an alias. Feline nature, though species and applicability of this fact unknown._

Next, there was the new comer. The fact that Takamaki had paused to ask if _‘Fox’_ was prepared to deal with Madarame indicated a personal involvement. Almost instantly, the answer comes to him - a recent ex student, naturally, and therefore likely in artistic education. Due to the age of Fox, the search is limited rapidly, and an answer soon followed.

_Kitagawa, Yusuke; aged sixteen. Alias: Fox. Elemental affinity: ice. Relationship to the Phantom Thieves is currently unknown._

There was a cursory glance at recent articles. _Breaking news._ Apparently, Medjed had come out of the woodworks to attack the Phantom Thieves. That would be interesting, but should his investigation be cut short by some group of hackers, Goro would be deeply disappointed.

He began to plan.

For now, he held most of the cards. Goro was the only person with political affiliation to have critical information on the Phantom Thieves, though at the same time, he needed to keep a close eye on his notebook. Should Shido tire of his progress, there was no doubt there would be someone sent to search his apartment.

The best thing to do was stack his cards and wait for the appropriate time to knock them down, meaning that a visit to Sae would be in his best interests. If he began sowing the seeds for a suspicion on the link between the Phantom Thieves and the mental breakdowns, careful enough not to seem _too_ invested. 

• • •

Sae’s face was drawn and she was glowering at a stack of files on the table. She hadn’t noticed his presence yet, too absorbed in her current work. After a pause, he decided to make enough noise in his approach to not startle her. With this she glanced up, expression twitching minutely as he noticed his approach.

"Stress is bad for the skin." Goro pointed out, hands tucked into his front pockets, mostly just to irritate her further. It was far too easy to do so, and the opportunity was right _there_. 

Sae glared with a sort of worn aggravation he believed to be quite unfair. She snapped the files shut with an exaggerated force, which was slightly more reasonable given Goro’s long and decorated history of trying to look at confidential documentation. "Did you come all this way to be sarcastic?"

"Of course not.” He replied, vaguely affronted, though after a second of consideration, he supposed it was something he _would_ do. He affected a casual lean, quirking an eyebrow. The calmness he displayed caused Sae to tense up further, irritated. “How about you listen to me for a change of pace?"

She fixed him a look that stated she would rather throw him out of the nearest window than consider his suggestions, and snapped, " _What?_ "

"Have you noticed that a ' _change of heart_ ' is also similar to the cases you've been investigating?" Goro pressed, ignoring the hostility, and decided not to push his luck any further. The job she had been forced to take was far too difficult for the resources she had been given.

“Of course I have.” She then narrowed her eyes. "Is this a game to you?"

Perhaps Goro should have revealed less enthusiasm into his voice. It was all too rare to be challenged, and the very real threat that Amamiya posed - being able to swap through such a catalogue of Persona without hesitation - was nothing short of intriguing, even if Amamiya himself was tiring. Especially after the discovery that Amamiya was also weakening him, albeit scarcely. He gave a bright smile, one that he knew wouldn’t convince Sae at all. "Not at all.”

A pause, in which Sae battled between the want to be completely independent and the need to win the case - and therefore accept his help. It must no doubt be stinging her pride, being given tips from someone just barely younger than her little sister. Then, she sighed, defeated, slumping her shoulders as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Very well. I’ll look into it.”

Goro simply nodded. He began to head back to his apartment, though to do _what_ , he wasn’t entirely sure. There were no new jobs, or leads, or developments in the Phantom Thieves. It wasn’t as though he had much of a social life, and though Goro didn’t particularly care about this, in rare moments like now, the subtle isolation he had from his peers truly showed.

During the train ride to Shibuya station, he checked his phone for news out of sheer boredom, not truly expecting to find anything. It was mostly a cursory check; should a Phantom Thief inexplicably ( _namely Amamiya_ ) be caught, Goro would want to know immediately. Almost instantly, a title caught his eye.

_Breaking: Ethical Hacker Group Calls for All-Out War Against Organisation ‘Phantom Thieves.’_

_Astonishment_ would be an understatement.

He blinked.

Well, that escalated quickly.

It wasn’t a particularly surprising revelation, but _still_ \- the Medjed input had only lasted a few days or so, and now, all of a sudden, there was a declaration of _war_. Goro wondered what Amamiya would do about all of this - no doubt he would have already heard of news. Would Goro find him stressed? It would be nice, for once, to see him display more than three emotions. He resolved to head to the Leblanc.

On his way to the appropriate section, he faltered from his steps, recognising a familiar cluster of people. Goro immediately noticed Amamiya, who had his back pressed against the wall, all too calm for someone who risked complete ruin should Medjed follow through on their threat. Instantly, Goro could tell that the information had yet to reach them.

The entire damn group of the Phantom Thieves, right there; there was no way in hell he would pass on this opportunity. Plus, they had yet another newcomer-

Was that _Sae’s sister?_

"Nijima-san?” He approached the group, carefully not looking at the leader as he did so. There was a rapid exchange of glances, mostly towards Amamiya.

"Oh!” Niijima froze, stiffening significantly, then gave a small, polite nod. “Akechi-kun. I’m surprised to see you here."

"I was just on my way back from your sister's workplace." He lifted his shoulders slightly in a casual shrug. Then, he glanced at Amamiya, and noted with a strange satisfaction that he had his full attention. "We were discussing the Phantom Thieves during my visit.” A pause, because despite his responsibilities, he was still dramatic. “Did you see that Medjed has declared an all-out war on them?"

" _War!?_ " Sakamoto instantly squawked, flapping his arms up as though he was about to punch Goro for delivering that information. He frantically tore out his phone, eyes wide, jaw stupidly agape. "For real?"

Well.

That was _subtle_.

Truly, if Goro hadn’t garnered any previous information on the identities of the Phantom Thieves and held any doubts about the group in front of him, they would completely vanish in the face of Sakamoto's calm, unwavering demeanour. It seemed that a lifetime of discipline was able to keep Nijima burying her head in her hands, or throttling Sakamoto within an inch of his life.

If Goro didn’t have half a decade of observing large groups of people and their mannerisms, he likely would’ve missed the way Takamaki lowered her voice to hiss, “I _diot!”_

"Hmm, why are you so agitated?" Goro asked, just to see the looks of apprehension. The only sign that Amamiya had heard him was a fleeting, downwards pull to his lips, before the classic expression of polite interest replaced it. He gave a look of false understanding, and smiled. "Ah, of course; you must be fans of the Phantom Thieves."

"I'm not a fan." Nijima deflected, at the same time Sakamoto cursed about the Medjed website being in English. There was a rapid flash of relief across her face. Niijima was close to completely impassive, but hadn’t perfected it to an art the same way her sister had. It was obvious this line of questioning was making her uncomfortable. "I'm just interested in their work."

"Of course. I’m of a similar opinion.” He glanced at Amamiya, who was still watching him, though the moment he noticed that the observation was now going both ways, his expression disappointingly shut down and he looked away. It caused Goro to be struck with an odd sense of disappointment, so he continued. “Amamiya-san. If you were one of the Phantom Thieves, what would you do?"

The timing couldn’t be any better; not only was he able to garner the weaker links of the group _(Sakamoto)_ , but he was also able to discover their next movements. By asking this question, he would be able to garner insight into how the leader of the Phantom Thieves worked, _and_ maintain Amamiya’s attention. It was difficult to get any form of reaction from him, so the slightest changes in disposition were a victory.

Amamiya frowned. It seemed that he had seen this question coming, and barely reacted at the idea that he would have to be forced into a position of association with the group. Then, he shrugged. "I would ignore their attempts at evoking a reckless response and gather information.”

"Many would argue that ignoring this message would be an unwise decision." Though, that was _precisely_ what Goro would do. By going so public, Medjed had shown two things; for starters, they were not interested in their ethical cause. The public opinion had rapidly decreased due to this. Secondly, and perhaps far more subtly, by planning to attack Japan, it showed that Medjed could not attack the Thieves directly, meaning that their identities were safe for now.

“Why’d you wanna know?” Sakamoto asked, crossing his arms with poorly hidden aggression. He was suspicious of Goro, he could tell, though this was more out of a pettiness due to differing opinions and nothing to do with genuine fact.

“I was just wondering what your insight would be. A group of students, invested as you are in the Phantom Thieves, with plenty of spare time and attending the very school that revealed the group.” He then smiled at them. "In a way, all I've said about your group coincides with what I believe about the Phantom Thieves.”

The thinly veiled accusation led three of the members to gape at him. Nijima twitched minutely, concern obvious despite her relaxed disposition. Their reactions didn’t matter, however - Amamiya was his main priority, and he met Goro’s eyes with no pause.

"Yeah." Amamiya agreed, easily enough, and offered a grin that caused Goro’s chest to tighten. "Ryugi's their leader."

This shocked a genuine laugh from Goro. Both the concept of someone as brazen and rash ( _incompetent_ ) as Sakamoto being the leader, coupled with Amamiya’s lazy admission were startling enough that for a moment, Goro didn’t know what to say. Not only that, but it revealed an entirely different side of Amamiya’s personality, one that was previously hidden by deference. 

With further reflection, Goro could see that it was also a clever move. Instead of getting flustered and stammering denials (as all of the others were about to do), Amamiya had dismissed the accusation with humour. They continued to watch each other, Goro hesitantly returning the smile with one (that was far too honest) of his own.

"Me?” Sakamoto’s voice was raised to a volume just under a shout, startling Amamiya and causing him to look away. Again, there was an unfamiliar sense of disappointment, this one far sharper and far more alarming. “ _Leader!?_ "

"I didn't expect you to answer like that. You always find a way to knock me off balance." Goro placed a hand over the nape of his neck, feeling strangely knocked off kilter. There was something about Amamiya’s smile - too bright, too _soft_ and friendly, and directed at _him_. 

Amamiya must have sensed the sincerity of this statement, snapping his attention back to Goro and, for a second, it seemed that he was finally able to catch him off-guard. He pressed his advantage, resisting the urge to take a step forward. "Amamiya-san, what do you think of my deductions? We would make a great team if we worked together."

This made perfect strategic sense. Now, he had a valid reason to return to the Leblanc _and_ engage Amamiya in conversation. Sakamoto scowled. "Back off, Ren's with us."

"I'm just curious about what you have to say.” Goro said, ignoring Sakamoto. With some contentment, he observed that Amamiya didn’t even glance at Sakamoto, instead focusing entirely on Goro.

 _With Amamiya, no information is given without a fair exchange_.

He added, “In return, I'll teach you how to make deductions."

"An update to our original agreement?" Amamiya asked, a wry lilt to his smile, leaning forward slightly. “I agree.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again pls tell me if this is weak

The Medjed issue rose and fell with little ceremony.

It seemed that Amamiya simply revelled in subverting expectations, and achieving the impossible - by all means, a small, rag-tag group of teengers should _not_ be able to defeat a well established, technologically adept organisation in under one month. It was difficult to come to terms with the fact that Amamiya simply had more resources than he did, even after years of carefully cultivating his networks.

Irritating, but at the same time, it was _invigorating._

Goro had underestimated his rival beforehand, and that wasn’t a mistake he was going to repeat anytime soon. He needed to begin calculating his visits and the subjects he broached. Each conversation felt like a strange sort of battle; neither pretended that they weren’t weary of the other. It caused a curious mix of emotion - frustration, insult, confusion - and, worryingly enough, _admiration_.

He was still his rival, but Goro wasn’t obstinate enough to refuse to appreciate Amamiya’s good qualities and, as each day passed, he was beginning to be able to list more. Within a few weeks, he was able to develop yet another routine centred around Amamiya and their interactions. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he would arrive early at Shibuya station, and wait for Amamiya to arrive. The division of starting conversation was now more evenly divided, though still just barely biased towards Goro.

On Saturdays, if his schedule was open, he would drop by the Leblanc around late morning. Amamiya would set aside approximately two hours each time, and they would talk.

Each time:

“Amamiya-san.”

And, per their routine, Amamiya would look up, giving the smallest hint of a smile, and say, "Akechi. Would you like the same?"

It was pointless, and meaningless, and it meant that Amamiya had _paid attention to him_. He would accept, exchange a handful of yen for 'the same' (a house blend), then take his place from across the counter. If the shop was empty, which it usually was, Amamiya would prepare two cups and lean against the counter, facing Goro.

More often than not, they would not discuss the current events. These little felt like an escape from his responsibilities, in some ironic way. They would discuss hypotheticals. When Goro said that Amamiya’s insight was valuable to him, he had been honest, and their opinions were often diametrically opposed. It was a refreshing change of pace.

Then, abruptly, Amamiya would hand over the reigns of the shop to 'Boss', ducking out of the Leblanc. For a student - and a Phantom Thief to boot - Amamiya had a very involved social life.

Very rarely, when the time ticks over to later morning, Goro would ask, “What will you be doing today?"

Amamiya would give a modest shrug, and muse, “Nothing in particular. I’ve been asked to man the shop.”

“A rare occurrence.” Goro notes, offers a polite smile. “I consider myself fortunate.”

Amamiya huffs, doubtful, as he usually did whenever Goro announced his genuine enjoyment in the other’s company. It wasn’t all that surprising, of course - it seemed Amamiya actively went out of his way to seem as boring as possible. Though, there were a scarce few moments when he would relax, and would talk freely with him. These were the moments Goro held on to, and they were the reason he kept returning to the Leblanc.

They took up their customary positions. As usual, there was no other patron, so there was little background noise and Amamiya’s focus was solely on him. Most of the time, Goro would offer observations based on Amamiya’s body language, keeping to his word and teaching some deductive skills.

Amamiya was a fast learner - though he didn’t need many tips in the first place - and soon, Goro could barely gain a read on him. Strangely enough, this had the opposite effect; instead of being more closed up and impassive, his expressions opened up, and he seemed far less restrained with his company.

He was about to comment as such, before a call of greeting disrupted him. It addressed Amamiya, who seemed completely oblivious to any sounds. Goro frowned, leaning forward, and asked, “Do you have company?”

“Company?” Amamiya said blankly. He glanced up at the attic, expression growing weary. “No, the only other thing here is my cat.”

“I heard a voice.” Goro pressed, not exactly alarmed but certainly uneasy. Amamiya seemed sincerely confused by his comment, causing him to start wondering about very mild cases of _paranoia_.

“A voice?” Amamiya repeated, dubious. “Are you sure?”

“No.” Goro replied truthfully - he hadn’t been getting that much sleep. Plus, if there _was_ an intruder, their weight would give them away - the floorboards weren’t exactly quiet. There would be more sounds made beyond a voice. Perhaps he should begin to focus on increasing his sleeping time from four hours to six. Amamiya gave him a wry smile, leaning back on the counter. Goro decided to file away this moment of shaken cognizance and asked, “Can you play chess?”

Amamiya spared another apprehensive glance upstairs, before deciding to also dismiss it, offering a modest shrug. “I’ve never tried.”

“You’d soon get the hang of it.” Goro said.

“I usually do, though that doesn’t necessarily equal skill. Jack of all trades, master of none.”

“Apt.” He noted, appreciating the double meaning, intentional or otherwise. He pushed his case up to be seated on the vacant chair besides him, opening it with a click.

Amamiya watched him as he pulled out a chess set (mahogany, well crafted and carefully folded) with some degree of surprise. “Do you always carry a chess set around?”

The question caused him to let out a minuscule, amused huff. He supposed it would look quite strange, especially with the casual way he pulled out the chess set. “No, this was mostly out of optimism.”

“Which shade do you play as?” Amamiya asked. It was already understood that he was yet to meet his own soulmate, but Goro's smile still faltered nonetheless - _shade_ , not _colour_. There was no need to start brooding, especially since their time together was so limited, so he pushed the thought away.

“Let’s leave it up to fate.” Goro decided, offered a small smile.

Amamiya returned it. “I thought you said fate wasn’t worth while.”

Regardless, when he took a piece of each colour and placed them behind his back, Amamiya softly tapped his left shoulder. It took a few embarrassing seconds to connect the action with its context. He revealed the piece - white, Amamiya's move first - and began to set up. Amamiya mirrored his actions, and only looked at him in mild curiosity when Goro swapped the king and queen into the correct position.

“You’re going to have to inform me of the rules.” Amamiya paused. “Often, probably.”

“You’ll get the hang of it.” Goro repeated, and proceeded to give a brief rundown of the function of each piece. Amamiya listened, asked a few questions, and seemed truly invested. The first round they had was very short - more of a tester, really - as Amamiya familiarised himself with the game. It became apparent that he favoured using the bishops, leaving his frontline vulnerable to knight attacks.

It was surprising how quickly Amamiya adapted to the new set of rules, despite him expecting it. Towards the end of the first round, he was even (clumsily) developing something of a strategy, throwing a pawn forward as some sort of distraction. It didn’t work, of course, but Goro admired it all the same.

In their second round, yet another surprise was revealed.

Amamiya Ren was a goddamn cheat.

“I’ve already taken your queen.” Goro pointed out as Amamiya moved said piece across the board, dangerously close to his rooks. “ _Why_ is it back on the board?”

Amamiya seemed bewildered. He stared at Goro for a long time, as though questioning his sanity, before slowly stating, “I had two.”

Goro would have remembered if any pawn was successful in crossing the board for a promotion. He sighed heavily, annoyance _somehow_ not outweighing the usual enjoyment he received from Amamiya’s unanticipated engagement. “No, you did not.”

Amamiya’s resulting grin lightened up the room. “Flustered, Akechi?”

“Hardly.” Goro dismissed the claim with a mock glare that he hoped did not look sincere. “I will make short work of you, in spite of your flagrant disregard for the rules.”

‘ _Short work_ ’ turned into six more rules, as Amamiya was dead set on making up as many rules as possible. He tried to be irritated but instead all he felt was more akin to a fond exasperation.

As he moved his bishop into position, he wondered how the hell he was soul bonded to someone like him. “Check.”

Amamiya furrowed his brows and moved his knight in the stead of his king. Goro sent his queen after it, and discarded it from the board. Again, “Check.”

Amamiya could tell his defeat was imminent. He seemed only mildly put out - he moved his pawn to defend his king, which only sealed his fate, meaning that he could no longer move diagonally away from the encroaching enemies.

Goro smiled, satisfied, and moved his final piece into place. “Checkmate.”

• • •

Then, yet again, something in their dynamic shifted. 

He wasn’t sure _what_ misstep he had inadvertently taken, but all of a sudden, Amamiya - and, by incidental extension, his friends - were back at an imperceptible distance. He wondered what the _hell_ had occured between the period of those seventy two hours to cause such a change, but then decided that it didn’t truly matter.

Goro was there with a job to do, not to make friends and then start mithering about how Amamiya was no longer _paying attention_ to him. In some ways, this was for the best. Amamiya was far too perceptive for his own good, and even a slight, momentary slip up would have his entire cover blown.

That didn’t stop him from at least trying to _start_ a conversation. It would be terribly impolite to suddenly cut contact with Amamiya, and _Akechi Goro_ was anything if not _accommodating_. Though, he noted somewhat sullenly, the other didn’t particularly seem to care about nicitues. He approached him during the usual wait on Tuesday.

At least Amamiya hadn’t decided to start actively avoiding him, as he was lacking company despite his usual friends being a few meters away. The opening line was a profoundly uninspired, “Good morning, Amamiya-san. It appears your train is running late again.”

Amamiya startled, as though he hadn’t expected Goro to approach him and talk. He nodded tersely, glancing up at the digital information board, one which unabashedly displayed ‘ _delay predicted fourteen minutes_.’ “It would seem so, yes.”

With that _stunning_ conversation starter working _wonders_ and completely charming his rival, an awkward silence fell between them. Goro had never had this issue before. Usually, the discussion would be flowing, no matter how mundane the subject.

Though, he supposed, he had never had a conversation partner quite as reluctant as Amamiya seemed to be. Even _Sae_ had warmed up to him within a few arduous minutes. A small shuffle in Amamiya’s bag caught his attention. After processing the wriggling bag and adding the information he already knew about Amamiya to the equation, Goro took a moment, to ask, incredulous, “Are you aware that there is a cat inside your backpack?”

“Oh!” He said, glancing down at his bag as though he had forgotten what one looked like. It was obvious that Amamiya did not expect to be caught and, as a result, had not prepared a decent lie. He placed a hand at the back of his neck, opting to not bother with denying anything. “I _would_ lie, but I don’t think you’d believe me.”

“The cat is out of the bag.” Goro agreed.

A pause.

Amamiya stared at him.

Goro stared back, unrepentant. 

It wasn’t his best joke by any measure, but it sure as hell didn’t warrant the long, unblinking look Amamiya was currently giving him. Upon closer evaluation, his iris was less grey and more _black_. The other seemed surprised at the inspection, but didn’t shy away from it; he returned the look with scrutiny. Dark eyes sweep across his face, noting Goro’s expression with an intensity he had never been on the receiving end of.

“You’re never quite what I expect.” Amamiya eventually stated, unaware that Goro could easily say the same thing. A slow smile curling on his lips. He ducked his head, breaking their stare to look at the station floor before cheerfully noting, “That was _beyond_ awful.”

“It was.” Goro confirmed, revelling at _finally_ garnering a response beyond the classic deadpanned look. Perhaps dreadful puns were the way forward, then. “That doesn’t change the fact that your cat travels to school with you.”

“He gets terrible separation anxiety.” Amamiya lifted one shoulder up in a half shrug. Somehow, as though it could tell it was being addressed, the cat mewled, poking its head out of the zip to fix Goro a long stare with two equally bright blue eyes.

Goro pondered if lengthy, suspicious glares could be passed down from owner to pet. The cat seemed happy enough in its bag, and it shrank back down with a pronounced flick of its tail. Goro would almost label the gesture as _judgemental_.

“He doesn’t like strangers.” Amamiya offered, as though he would be offended by the aloof whims of a cat.

“I can tell.” He replied, vaguely amused.

A loud voice called over to them, one which Goro instantly identified as Sakamoto’s. “Hey, Ren! Get your ass over here!”

Sakamoto was frantically waving at Amamiya, as though he was so short-sighted he couldn’t see five feet ahead of him. Amamiya winced, glancing at Goro as though he was looking for permission. In response, he took a half step back, masking his disappointment with a polite smile. “Go ahead. I was just leaving.”

Amamiya looked _relieved_ at that statement, turning to walk towards Sakamoto with an ease to his shoulders that was never worn around Goro, even when their relationship or lack thereof was at its best.

Goro sighed heavily, leaning back.

The constant rejection was beginning to damage his pride.

• • •

He truly did enjoy his visits to the Leblanc.

The shop held a peculiar ambiance to it, one which Goro found strangely soothing. He was able to relax here, content in the fact that, to the rare few patrons, he was just another nameless face. It was nice to bask in the anonymity without having to wear a hood and inconspicuous clothing.

Wednesday seemed to be a particularly vacant day for the establishment, so this was naturally the most opportune time to visit. Today was no exception. He dragged his homework out of his bag. ‘Boss’ didn’t seem to care at the fact that, given his age, he would be expected to attend school. He merely lifted an eyebrow as he placed the house blend on the counter in front of him.

He lost himself in his English assessment. It was perhaps the easiest of all subjects, but without a doubt the lengthiest. The door chimed open loudly, but Goro didn't heed the distraction any of his attention.

“Ah, you’re back.” Boss noted. “Your usual, I presume?”

There was no verbal reply, indicating that the stranger had nodded. Goro inwardly sighed, quietly resenting the fact that he still has to do analysis and synthesis questions despite the fact that he was old enough to not have to hone his language skills.

“You have quite the outline, Akechi-san.”

Goro jolted, then winced, cursing his lack of care. It was all too rare for someone to successfully sneak up on him. He turned slightly, noting that the stranger looked familiar in a distant but significant way. “I’m sorry?”

“Your jawline. Very symmetrical.” It took Goro a few more moments to place a name and situation to a face. This stranger - Fox, Kitagawa Yusuke - seemed completely oblivious to Goro’s bewilderment as he made a keen dividing gesture. “Your eyes are also rather noteworthy. You have a very warm colour.”

Goro stared, quite unsure of what else to do. Behind the counter, Boss chuckled before leaving to busy himself with cleaning dishes. For Kitagawa to be here, inside of the Leblanc, indicated one thing - the Phantom Thieves had another confirmed permanent member. Goro decided to spend this afternoon training in the metaverse. 

Something about Kitagawa’s statement finally clicked.

“Colour?” Goro repeated, not bothering to hide the astonishment in his voice.

“Have you not found your flame yet?” Kitagawa replied in lieu of an answer. His eyes were still surveying Goro’s face and despite no malice behind such a look, Goro was beginning to feel uncomfortable. “You show such passion towards the Phantom Thieves, I truly - _stop!_ ”

Goro froze, alarmed. “Is everything alright?”

“No.” Kitagawa sighed heavily, almost mournfully, though his tone had lost the agonized urgency. “You have moved your face past your most flattering angle. Here, allow me.”

Then, ignoring all propriety and boundaries, Kitagawa leaned over to clinically adjust his face. Goro wasn’t quite sure how to respond to this. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and noted that he was not yet meant to know the other’s identity. “I apologise, it seems I haven’t quite caught your name yet.”

“Ah, I must have been distracted by your aesthetic appeal.” Kitagawa stated, as though this was a perfectly normal thing to say to someone he had spoken to only a few minutes ago. “My name is Kitagawa Yusuke.”

“Well, Kitagawa-san, it surprises me to learn that someone your age is able to see colour.” Goro said, candid enough. Only a low approximate of seven percent of the population have found colour before the age of twenty-five.

“I have seen colour since the age of eight. In a way, it completes me and my devotion to my practice. I am unique in that aspect - most people find salvation in the arms of another .”

Goro paused, processed this. During this, he took time to finish his coffee. “Your soulmate would be art, then?”

“Indeed.” Kitagawa confirmed, pleased at his quick understanding. He supposed it must be an experience to explain all of this to a stranger - the phenomenon of a vocational bond accounted to a negligible proportion of the population. 

The bell chimed yet again, and this time Goro glanced up, not wanting to be caught out by a Phantom Thief twice in the same day. Despite expecting Amamiya's inevitable arrival, he still found himself caught by surprise.

“Akechi-sama.” Amamiya took a step back, startled. He gently lowered his bag to one of the tables, and the cat poked its head out of the flap. Then, deeming these settings to its liking, it slinked out of the bag, making a beeline for Kitagawa.

Goro winced at the overly formal honorific. It sounded vaguely like a reprimand. “Amamiya-san.”

“Ren, you must join us.” Kitagawa said, ignoring or - more likely - not noticing the tension. He paused, one hand lifting his cup so he could sip at his coffee, the other absentmindedly patting the cat’s head. “I was just admiring Akechi-san’s face.”

Hearing these words brought a strong wave of overwhelming horror. Goro had no control over the expression he made. This interaction, although lasting a handful of seconds or so, caused Amamiya to seem profoundly amused, though by _what_ in particular, Goro couldn’t tell. “Your usual?”

“Please.” Goro smiled. Boss nodded to Amamiya as he started fussing over a handful of coffee beans, carefully dissecting them. He headed out the door with a loud chime. "Ah, leading the shop again, Amamiya?"

“You must stop talking.” Kitagawa noted, entirely out of the blue, which caused Amamiya to abruptly choke on air. 

Goro raised an eyebrow. “Is this a general comment, or do you have a particular reason?”

"I have my reason." Kitagawa confirmed. His words held an ominous tone, though it was one that was unlikely unintentional.

Amamiya huffed a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll rescue you from his evil designs.”

"My hero." Akechi deadpanned. This startled a quick, toothy grin out of Amamiya, who then hurriedly ducked his head. The cat crawled onto the counter, and was soon shooed away. It seemed to sulk, sinking back to sit on the chair beside Kitagawa in an action that came across as alarmingly human. "What is your cat's name?"

"Morgana." Amamiya handed the house blend over. With this move, the rough pad of Amamiya's thumb brushing over the back of his knuckles, and Goro tried to maintain his mildly interested expression.

"That's quite the name." Goro noted, and decided that it absolutely did not suit the fluffy, fussy little feline perched in the chair.

"I would have gone with Kandinsky." Kitagawa mused.

The cat gave a particularly loud chirp. This was likely due to the sudden bout of attention it was being given, but still - it sounded like an objection to Kitagawa’s reply, as though it somehow understood what had just been said.

“You make no sense.” Kitagawa stated, giving the cat a bemused look. “Speak properly, Morgana, if you wish me to have a hope of understanding you.”

"Morgana wouldn't have been my first choice." Amamiya stated, completely ignoring the strangeness of what Kitagawa just said. At the same time, Goro had just endured roughly half an hour of Kitagawa's peculiar personality, and this was mild in comparison.

"Whiskers?" Goro offered.

Amamiya seemed to be battling a smile. He suddenly felt an unusual conviction to see him smile again, especially since Tuesday’s conversation barely counted as an interaction, given how brief and stilted it was.

"Too pedestrian." He agreed, and pretended to give the cat a long, thoughtful look. The cat seemed to bristle under the analysis, tail flicking in the air. "Mittens, then. For his light paws."

The attention the cat was being given seemed to make him nervous. It brushed against Kitagawa, tail twitching from side to side as it did so.

"Ann would probably like the name Mittens. She’d find it cute." Amamiya stated, placing a hand on Morgana's back, causing the cat to settle. The name Ann threw him into a loop. Their conversation had nothing to do with Takamaki, and yet, Amamiya threw her name into the midst of the discussion.

A pause fell between them. Goro frowned, watching Amamiya as he watched Morgana demand attention and be scolded from stepping onto the counter. Kitagawa perked up suddenly. "If not Kandinsky, then perhaps Manet?"

Goro had forgotten that Kitagawa was there. He blinked, hand curling around the coffee cup, and didn't glance over to the boy besides him. It seemed that Kitagawa truly only thought about art."It still amazes me, with you being soul bound to your work."

"I'd say it would be advantageous." Amamiya quipped. It was another reference to their first official conversation. The fact that Amamiya had remembered that comment, had focused on him enough to be able to quote it back, made him smile. Amamiya didn't look at him.

The next few minutes passed in silence. Goro decided that remaining behind for any longer would be overstaying his welcome. He finished his drink, then stood. "Thank you for the coffee."

Amamiya flashed a fleeting smile as he left. Though, Goro didn't head to the station straight away - he hung back. There was a very, very small chance of them assuming anonymity and start discussing the next plans for the Phantom Thieves. It would be difficult to listen from this distance, but thankfully they were close to the door.

For a long moment, it seemed that perhaps he couldn't overhear them through the barriers, or that they simply weren't talking.

Then,

"What brought up soulmates?"

"Ah." Kitagawa said. Another long pause passed. "His eye colours are quite pleasing shades of brown."

Amamiya sounded doubtful within his response. "Really?"

"Very warm, with highlights of amber in his left eye, and a darker tone to the majority of his right." Kitagawa confirmed. Goro huffed under his breath, unimpressed, and it seemed that Amamiya was equally uninterested.

"I... see." He said. It was obvious by his tone of voice that he clearly did not care about the subject matter.

"You seem to be deeply uncomfortable with his company.” Kitagawa noted, almost like a throwaway comment. Goro wasn't sure what he had expected as a response, but he found himself disappointed by the long silence. "I understand your reasons. Though, he is quite charismatic, and he has a vastly compelling side profile-"

Goro tuned Kitagawa out, pinching the bridge of his nose. He decided to leave, having reached the understanding that they wouldn't discuss the matter of the Phantom Thieves here. The silence still rung in his his ears, though it was likely common knowledge - rivals did not like each other.

Still, Goro was caught by surprise in a way that he absolutely should not have been. He hadn't expected Amamiya's dislike to be so clearly put out. Goro didn't want a soulmate, let alone an _unrequited bond_ with Ren Amamiya - who makes damn good coffee, who cheats in chess, who has a smile that cuts straight through him, leaving him vulnerable-

Ren Amamiya, who dislikes him.

It didn't matter. He had always known the bond was one sided, and had just chosen to ignore this. It was a basic mistake, and one he was sure not to repeat. Severing the bond and keeping the strength in him being unattached was far closer.

• • •

Another calling card, this time directed to Kunikazu Okumura. Goro decided that now would be the time to begin setting up the final parts of his trap.

As usual, the Phantom Thieves were very public with the revelation of Okumura's calling card. The CEO of such a far-reaching company would be difficult to get a hold of, but somehow, the Phantom Thieves managed it. Perhaps they had a connection on the inside.

Though, as Goro waited outside the Palace, he knew that it didn't truly matter. Circumstances changed, and with it, his plans would adapt. He passed the time by wandering around the cold, futuristic area, killing off Shadows as though it was second nature.

He stuck primarily to Robin Hood, deciding not to push himself to by trying to switch between each of his Personas during a fight. When he turned the corner, with no Shadow in sight, he closed his eyes.

The threads of his connection to Loki felt further than usual. Alarmingly enough, the traces were scarcely traceable, to the point where Goro knew he would miss them should he not be actively searching for them. 

He began to grip onto the thread, trying to pull Loki's presence towards him. For for few times, he slipped past the connection, failing to gain a strong grasp. Finally, Loki was within reach. He loosened his hold on Robin Hood, preparing for the switch, when suddenly, he faltered from the sudden, unprecedented emergence of a splitting headache.

Goro gasped, breaking out of his trance, a hand flying up to massage his temple.

_This-_

This was a concern.

Should he fail to swap Personas during a fight, he would find himself in serious trouble. As it was, Robin Hood was still attached to him, and Loki was still at a distance, but closer than beforehand. Goro quickly decided to practice switching between them daily.

It was like a regression in skill, and it was _embarrassing_. After an hour or so of him skulking around and familiarising himself with the surroundings, he could simply feel the presence of other Persona users.

He carefully padded to the entrance, keeping himself in the shadows and remaining entirely unnoticed. He saw them enter, and immediately regretted his avoidance of direct involvement with the other calling cards.

Because, _shit_ , they've practically _multiplied_.

If Goro wasn't vigorous in his training, then it would be all too easy for them to succeed in battling him. He stuck back, watching them - _Joker,_ Amamiya - battle. It seemed his abilities had improved. He was able to switch between a greater variety of Personas, with an ease Goro marvelled at.

He followed them at a distance, carefully watching as a small girl - another newcomer, _Oracle_ \- fussing with a monitor of some kind. She occasionally piped up, suggesting they take a different route to avoid a majority of Shadows.

He instantly recognised Nijima - Sae's sister, now obnoxiously dubbed _Queen_ \- and wondered how the hell Sae hadn't noticed her own sister joining the very people she swore to destroy. Amusing, in an ironic way.

Eventually, they reached the main hall, where the manifestation _('Treasure')_ would undoubtedly rest. Goro perched up by a wall, shrouded in shadows as he watched the confrontation play out. He wondered what exactly brought on the need for codenames.

He entertained the thought of his own codename, if given one. Hopefully not something painfully obvious, like _Fox_ or _Skull_. 

He was getting sidetracked.

The group was beginning to get into position, with four of the members stepping forward - Fox, Noir, Panther and Joker. Goro wondered if Joker ever provided backup during battles instead of being thrown to the frontlines.

The fight started out well enough. Panther kept herself on support, lowering the strength of each enemy's attack, and helping their defenses. But it soon becomes apparent that they were _struggling_.

Goro had _never_ seen them _struggle_.

Despite himself, he found that he was taking a small step forward, Loki's name pulling at his soul. He caught himself, and took a few steps backwards.

It would be beyond disappointing for Amamiya to die here, at the hands of a frugal CEO, before Goro could put his plan into place. Though, this was not his prerogative, and for Joker to fall during battle, it would not be his problem.

The fight is slow and gruelling. Fox is soon swapped out for Mona, giving them two support members. Goro noted that as the weakness it was - they have become accustomed to fighting in packs, meaning that independently, Amamiya would be the only real threat.

Even then, the words _Amamiya_ and _threat_ didn't feel particularly cohesive, given the fact that he was presently doubled over and panting. It made Goro uncomfortable, in a strange, unexpected way.

He had become so accustomed to Amamiya's quiet smiles and careful words, the silent confidence he carried outside of the Metaverse that anything other than this would be _jarring_. _Here_ , he was having difficulty just standing up.

The battle was hard won, and the group soon departed. It seemed they were all wounded, and therefore wanted to return to their world and patching themselves up. They did not wait to ensure that Okumura's shadow faded naturally.

When he was sure that the other Persona users had left, he sighed, lowering himself from the wall and walking over to the slumped form of Okumura. Wordlessly, he pulled out his gun, levelling it at Okumura's forehead.

Okumura glanced up, eyes misty and unfocused. He frowned, seemingly confused, leaning away from the line of fire. He shook his head, a slow, sickly dread forming against his expression as he realised that Goro was not going to leave with the others.

"You can't kill me now." Okumura simply stated. "I have to make things right."

"You will." Goro replied, and fired.


	5. Chapter 5

At this point, there was no point in pretending that he was still unsure about the true identities of the Phantom Thieves. He updated his files, adding the new additions - Queen, Oracle, plus Noir - and continued to make sure that it was impossible to access by anyone beyond himself. 

The only person that eluded him with their true name was ‘Oracle’, who had exactly no traces to the daily lives of the Thieves; she did not attend any of their schools ( _Queen, Skull, Panther_ ), or have a personal connection to any of the targets ( _Fox, Noir)_. At least, no connections that Goro could track - he had his theories, involving Medjed in particular, given the navigational role she had shown in the Palace - but nothing was concrete.

The fact of the matter was that, whether discussed explicitly or not, Goro knew who they were, and they were aware that he had that information, too. It was clear in the way Nijima carefully regarded him at Shibuya station, in the way Sakamoto increased his posturing, and the way Amamiya no longer met his eyes.

Hell, their Tuesday-Thursday morning meetups were entirely discarded in favour of Amamiya huddling around his friends, speaking in low murmurs, not even sparing a glance over to him. 

With the way they were acting, it was almost as though they knew what he had done to Okumura, Noir’s father. Though, that was impossible, of course; Goro had been nothing if meticulous, and there was no way they could know.

The blatant ostracization didn’t bother Goro so much - at least, for the first week, it didn’t. Then, he began to become bored. He supposed he didn’t realise how significant those few minutes of contact at the train station were until they were taken away from him. He therefore spent his time reflecting on their rivalry. 

It was becoming something of an issue, even - the leader of the Phantom Thieves and, to a lesser extent, the entire group - were all that occupied his thoughts. This was just with Amamiya slighting him. He wondered how it would be when Amamiya finally died.

He would lose his colour, of course. It would likely be as jarring as gaining colour - he had so quickly grown accustomed to having this ability and it felt as though he had spent his entire life being able to see all of these hues.

It was his job to do this, and it was his job to lull others into a false sense of security before sinking a dagger into their backs. Impersonal, cold, and indiscriminate. Still, _he_ would be the one to fire the bullet between Amamiya’s grey-black eyes. It felt like overkill.

The thought makes him still, uneasy. He wasn’t some ridiculous child driven by fantasy - he knew that this was unavoidable. He would be the one to kill his own soulmate, and in theory, it was oddly fitting. Though... it wasn’t as though they were truly soulmates, was it?

Two things were glaringly obvious: one - Akechi Goro was _not_ a man ruled by whimsy. He started this mission, and he was going to be the one to see it to fruition. Secondly - the extended distance that Amamiya now held him at was a good thing. It helped him think clearer about the reality of the situation.

He would lose his soulmate, and he would lose his colour, and this will all be of his own hand.

Although. A treacherous part of him wanted to keep all of his options open, and keep all the new gifts given to him.

That included Amamiya.

The next step of his plan was to slowly try and associate himself irrevocably into the midst of the organisation. Easier said than done, of course, and there was no doubt he was going to have to resort to blackmail. He decided that he would implement his plan within the week, at the most opportune moment.

With that in mind, he set off to Shibuya station, earlier than usual; it gave him time to visit one of the many coffee shops and pick up something that _wasn’t_ instant. It also meant that he was given more time waiting by the platform edge, silently resenting the fact that Amamiya no longer deemed him worthy to talk to.

It was why, when he was approached, he almost dropped his coffee cup in shock.

Amamiya inclined his head, glancing around them. “Akechi-san. You’re early.”

Goro stared for a long time, drinking the other’s appearance in. It seemed he still hadn’t recovered from the Palace - he truly had taken a beating that day, with a small welt alongside his cheek. Amamiya looked at him oddly, and with a start, he remembered that he was supposed to reply. Such was the transactional nature of _conversation._ He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I could say the same for you."

“Mm.” Amamiya hummed, not quite a response. He rocked back on his heels, expression rather difficult to read, then gestured vaguely over his shoulder. “I should be going, the others are coming soon.”

Goro offered a polite smile in response, but the moment Amamiya took a hesitant half step, Goro found himself reaching forward, hand curling over his wrist. He barely had time to process the feeling of Amamiya’s skin against his - warm, soft - before his brain caught up with his instinctive action.

They both froze, staring at the point of contact.

“Ah.” Goro said, surprised at his own impertinence. He quickly released the grasp on Amamiya’s wrist, blood rushing to his face, because he is _better than this_ , damn it. At least he had the other’s full attention. “Sorry, I just haven’t talked to you in quite some time, and... well, I didn’t expect you to leave so suddenly.”

It formed slowly, and the change was near microscopic, but the surprised grin that Amamiya wore was a spectacular change in his usual impassive countenance. “Miss me, Akechi?”

Goro was mere moments away from replying, giving a calm deflection, but before he could, a new voice broke in. “Uh…”

Sakamoto.

Goro could practically _feel_ Amamiya withdrawing.

God- _fucking_ -damn it.

Amamiya _had_ said that his friends were coming soon. This time, it was him who took a step back, feeling oddly caught out. Amamiya was studiously avoiding eye contact. Alongside Sakamoto came Takamaki, who was gaping at him with a stunned expression. "Oh! I didn't realise you two were so... close."

Amamiya didn't reply, thinning his lips, withdrawing even further into himself.

And there Goro was, thinking that there was no way he could earn any more rejections. He forced a bright tone of voice, flashing her a smile. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. We talk sometimes, that’s all."

There was a long pause, and eventually, Amamiya murmured his agreements. In turn,.Sakamoto muttered something under his breath, causing Takamaki to swat his arm with enough force to cause an audible thump. He flinched, hand covering the sight of injury and whined, " _Ow!_ Ever heard of regulation?"

"Is Makoto coming?" Amamiya asked, jumping on the chance to change conversation.

Takamaki lifted her shoulders up in a shrug. She glanced away from Goro, but he was still under the impression that he was still being observed by her. "Nah, she's gone exam crazy. Every waking moment is spent revising. I wish I could be that dedicated...”

"Exams only a month away." Goro chimed in. "That came by quickly, especially with the distraction of the Phantom Thieves."

"Eh?” Sakamoto seemed surprised that he was adding his own input. He then narrowed his eyes, quick to anger as per usual. “You can't blame them if you fail."

"I wouldn't fail, and I am able to take accountability for my actions." Goro replied, taking care to keep his voice as amiable as possible. Though, it was already very clear that Goro had overstayed his welcome. "I’ll see you later, Amamiya-san.”

"You can call me Ren, if you want." It was phrased like a throwaway comment. However, in the weeks - months, now - talking to Amamiya, there had never been a change in personal addresses. It left him feeling off kilter, more so than him reaching out to hold onto Amamiya’s wrist.

"Ren." He repeated, testing it. 

The given name would take some getting used to.

At this, Amamiya's expression became blank - disinterested, Goro would guess - and he focused on scuffing his heel on the platform stonework. Sakamoto was turned to Amamiya and loudly asked, "Dude, are you…-"

" _Ryuji._ " Tamakawi hissed through her teeth, nails digging into the flesh of Sakamoto’s arm.

Goro raised an eyebrow at this, curious as to what he was obviously not meant to not understand, an expression that she immediately noticed. There was a pause, in which both he and Tamakawi openly observed each other. Eventually, hesitantly, Tamakawi offered a smile, strained but honest.

Goro looked away, managing to hide his grimace in time. There was a knowing despondency behind that smile, one that made him take a small half-step back, unsure of what he had done or said to earn such a look. 

Despite Goro’s best attempts to back away from the trio - coupled with Sakamoto’s blatant enmity and Amamiya’s apathy - Tamakawi seemed determined on making as much smalltalk as possible, entirely ignoring Sakamoto’s whispered protests. It was a change of pace, not being the one desperately trying to keep conversation afloat, but one he wasn’t so sure he wanted.

He simply preferred Amamiya’s company, and with the introduction of two other conversation partners, Amamiya was far less likely to add a comment of his own.

After an approximate of fifteen minutes had passed, his train shuddered to a stop. He hastily bid the group farewell, ignoring Sakamoto’s less than subtle and more than immature mimicry of his voice, and boarded the train.

Tomorrow, he decided.

Tomorrow, he would begin his infiltration.

• • •

To say that the Phantom Thieves weren’t best pleased with being blackmailed would be something of an understatement.

Though, at least it hadn’t resorted to physical blows, which was already far better than what he had predicted. Instead - in a move that yet again exceeded his expectations - Amamiya had suggested a meet-up in the Leblanc, to _‘go over stuff_ ’. It was a lukewarm reaction at best, but at least Amamiya didn’t pretend to be surprised. 

He was far too intuitive for that, and though Goro was careful, there was no way he could look over the fact that, seemingly at random, a known junior detective took interest in the leader of the Phantom Thieves, and had even gone as far as to suggest the similarities between both groups.

It was easy to assume that Goro would only take interest in Amamiya because of his obvious involvement with the organisation. There would be no other reason for them to talk, barring the fact that Amamiya was his soulmate, but there was no way in hell anybody else could know about that. He hadn’t even recorded this fact in his files.

Regardless of _motive_ , on Saturday, they all convened to the shop - excluding Noir, though he supposed that this could be due to bereavement. He dismissed the odd sense of _culpability;_ he was just doing his job, nothing more or less.

Boss took one look at the large cluster of teenagers and simply sighed in resignation. He inclined his head to Goro. “Figured it was only a matter of time you’d join the lot of them. This one has a habit of collecting strays.”

“Strays?” Goro echoed, unsure of whether he was offended or amused.

“Upstairs - and keep the noise down, I’m trying to make a living here.” Boss was trying to sound stern, but the exasperated fondness didn’t take much effort to pick up on.

The group led the way upstairs to a bedroom - _Amamiya’s_ bedroom - with Goro trailing after them. He affected a casual lean at the top of the staircase, watching the group take up what was seemingly their usual positions. Amamiya’s bag wriggled, and the cat - Morgana - wriggled out through the slightly parted gap.

It jumped on the table, then hissed, “Seriously, _blackmail?_ ”

Goro stared.

The cat stared back, seeming rather miffed.

He glanced to the others, trying to seem calm and unaffected, but he could tell that he had failed in this endeavor when Amamiya cracked a smile, practically basking in the look of surprise. "Not what you expected, huh?"

At least he had finally solved the mystery of the identity of ‘Mona’. Though, despite him being almost entirely accustomed to the outlandishness that the Metaverse had to offer, _talking cats_ weren’t exactly part of that list. For a lack of better things to say, he mused, "It seems that Mittens can talk."

There was something about this situation niggling at the very back of his mind. It made him frown, but he dismissed it as unimportant. There were more interesting things to note - for example, the way Amamiya huffed a small laugh, shaking his head.

Nijima glanced between them, her expression getting a noticeably frosty sheen when she set her eyes on him. She crossed her arms sternly, as though she truly believed she was able to intimidate him. Sae had a far more impressive glare. "Are we missing something?"

“Nothing important.” Amamiya assured her. 

Takamaki shuffled, gesturing vaguely at a vacant spot. “You don’t need to hover.”

He paused, surprised at the attempt Takamaki gave at being more hospitable. He had expected far more aggression, but even Sakamoto seemed to restrain himself in a shocking display of self control. Wordlessly, he perched besides Oracle, who was hugging her knees to her chest. She was yet to introduce herself.

“How did you find us out?” Nijima eventually asked, and Goro explained, excluding any parts that might reveal his less than savory intentions. In turn, the group listened. After he had finished giving the abridged version, Nijima sighed. “So, there was nothing we could have done to stop your suspicions.” 

“No.” Goro confirmed. “So. What now?”

The group exchanged glances, most looking towards Amamiya for a lead to follow. After a moment, Takamaki piped up with a far too cordial, “As far as I’m concerned, he’s now a member of the Phantom Thieves.”

“Ann…” Nijima trailed off, lips twisted in consternation. “I suppose it’s true that he hasn’t yet revealed our identities to the authorities. What happens now is up to Ren.”

Amamiya took a long moment to consider the next actions. “I think we should go to Mementos. I want to see how he fights, and what his affinities are.”

“Mementos?” He repeated, curious and aware of the obvious significance this place held. As they dispersed from the shop, Morgana and Nijima explained the place, with Amamiya occasionally adding comments of his own. 

The moment he activated his Nav in Shibuya station, he was hit with an overwhelming sense of deja vu. Goro recognised the feeling of the place immediately; this was the _Metaverse_ , and the entrance. He had never reached this high up - usually, he would just sense tears in each pane and step through them to access his target, just like the doorway to the velvet room.

Instantly, their apparel was changed to that of their alter ego - unsurprisingly, he was tuned into Robin Hood - and not before long, he was given his own codename. _Crow_ wasn’t his first choice, but at least they were intelligent creatures, and his name wasn’t as axiomatic as that of Skull.

“Let’s see your Persona.” Amamiya said. Up close, the domino mask was a blend of colours, with the darker side of the spectrum around Amamiya’s eyes. It suited him. Goro dismissed this thought, focusing on summoning Robin Hood. The connection struck a chord, and his Persona was summoned right beside him. A pause. “That’s not what I was expecting.”

Goro arched an eyebrow. “What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know.” Amamiya gave him a lengthy, evaluative look before observing the Persona behind him. “Bless damage, right?”

“Right.” He confirmed.

With that, the attacking group was arranged, with him, Amamiya, Kitagawa and Tamakawi set to lead - ‘ _anymore than four and things just get confusing_ ’ - and the rest were to follow. When Goro asked after how they would be traveling, Morgana leapt forward, announcing with an overly grandiose, “Leave it to me!”

The cat-like creature contorted, twisting and growing in shape before forming a-

Goro sighed.

A fucking _cat bus_ , because a talking cat simply wasn’t _contrived_ enough. Granted, he was hardly one to talk, given the fact that he was a mildly famous actor slash assassin slash detective with magical powers. 

Still.

He doesn’t entirely trust Morgana with his wellbeing, and the fact that Amamiya doesn’t exactly have a driving licence isn’t a ringing endorsement either. There was a pause, in which he watched Sakamoto loudly shout _‘shotgun’_. Oracle squeezed in besides him, ignoring his complaining.

Goro wordlessly pushed away his dignity and resigned himself to a traumatic trip in the stupid cat bus. He had a good life - not exactly _good_ , per say, but that was the phrase he was supposed to use when an imminent death lay before him.

The group kept up cheerful chatter, and Amamiya was surprisingly competent in driving. They only crashed into walls a scarcity of seven times. Truly, Goro was impressed. Eventually, he grew tired with sitting back and keeping an internal monologue of bitchy comments, peering out the front window. He had always been independent on his travels to the Metaverse - Mementos, whichever - and having another’s input would be interesting. “Fox. What does Mementos look like to you?"

" _Why?_ " Sakamota wailed from the front seat. Oracle scowled at his movement, jabbing a pointy elbow into his sides.

"You really shouldn't have asked that." Nijima added from where she was seated across him. She didn’t sound _welcoming_ in any measure, but the overt acid pouring from her tone was almost entirely gone. He took this as a marginal victory.

Kitagawa sighed, shaking his head softly in exasperation, then began to lean forward so as to better observe the details of the Metaverse. He stared, unblinking, pondering, out of the window. "You all talk as though it is not the physical representation of the artistry of mankind. We are truly gifted to be allowed access to man’s intricate desires.”

Sakamoto snorted, and poorly covered this up with a cough. Kitagawa set his lips into a thin line, sitting back with another exaggerated sigh.

"There isn’t really much I can say about it. It's mostly red and black." Amamiya mused, lifting one shoulder up to shrug and narrowly avoided making the acquaintance of another solid structure. At his words, the entire group fell very silent. Amamiya seemed to sense that he had miss-stepped somewhere, and glanced over. “What?”

"You've met your _soulmate?!"_ Sakamoto squawked, set into action at Amamiya’s confusion. He was gesticulating wildly, earning yet another well deserved elbow jab from Oracle. He scowled, rubbing his side, and thankfully lowered his voice to continue, “Since when have you met your soulmate? You didn’t even tell me-”

Amamiya huffed a sigh. "I haven’t."

Kitagawa perked up, distracted from Sakamoto’s dismissal. "Your flame, perhaps?"

"No, I just - I can see _some_ colours. Barely any. Mostly just the darker ones.” Amamiya seemed frustrated with the line of conversation. Goro tried not to scowl at that, because it wasn’t as though Amamiya had been dealing with any of the ridiculousness that came with having the first ever (privately) documented unrequited bond.

"For how long?" He asked, only half out of curiosity. It wasn’t as though he was under any delusions. He was certain that, should their bond be mutual, Amamiya would act at least marginally warmer to him. Even, perhaps, if Amamyia was feeling particularly ardent, he might even last over a half hour in conversation.

"The day I got the Nav.” Amamiya answered. “So, the same day I came here.”

Despite having no hopes whatsoever, the disappointment stung, but at this point he was used to it. Goro also noted the unsubtle way both Takamaki and Nijima perked up at the confirmation he was unencumbered, and tried not to scoff. Takamaki mused, "Byproduct of the awakening?" 

"It seems unlikely, but he _is_ our wild card." Nijima said. “I wonder if-”

“Shadow up ahead.” Oracle interrupted sharply - the first thing Goro had heard her say in his vicinity. He glanced at the window. The shadow hadn’t noticed them yet. Amamiya put the engine on idle, spinning slightly to give the entire group a bright, boyish grin.

“This one’s going to be on the difficult side.” He said, then addressed Goro. “You up for a challenge?”

“Please.” Goro scoffed, though a reluctant smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Amamiya led the way out of the vehicle _(?)_ with Takamaki and Kitagawa close behind. Goro followed at a distance, set on observing for as long as possible. It was important to match the others in strength, not surpass them. The less they knew about his abilities the better.

The usual adrenaline of engaging in a fight was already flooding through his veins, but he reigned himself in, standing alongside the other three in compliance with their formation. Amamiya glanced, checking on him, but seemed content that he knew what he was doing.

The shadow gave a long, anguished wail before dissolving onto the floor.

The creature it then formed was something well within his capability. To make things even easier, he knew from experience it was weak to bless damage. Though, he wasn’t supposed to know any of this, so he kept himself on guard, watching as Takamaki’s fire attack did little damage. She turned, eyes wide to address Kitagawa, “It’s strong against my attacks - it should be weak to ice.”

It wasn’t, of course, and on some instinctive level, Amamiya seemed to know this, too. He called over to them, “Stand on guard, it’s going to attack.”

The attack was sweeping and sudden, hitting them all aside from Takamaki, who dodged to the side with a surprising agility. Goro hissed through his teeth, frustrated at being caught off guard. Amamiya seemed equally agitated, but he remained focused, channeling forward electrical damage.

Another hit, and one that did more damage than before. Though, the Shadow wasn’t tiring anytime soon. 

“I think it’s weak against bless damage.” Amamiya said, and gave Goro a sharp grin. “Knock it to the floor, Akechi.”

Goro grinned back, adrenaline surging as he prepared his attack. At the last second, he reminded himself to hold back - the result of his restraint left him with a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest, but he ignored it in favour of rushing forward and pressing the advantage against the fallen shadow.

Instead of attacking, though, Amamiya simply beckoned the shadow towards him.

Goro stared, alarmed, but the other two seemed entirely unbothered by the turn of events. He watched, entirely bewildered, as the shadow disappeared with a sharp flash of smoke, then began billowing towards Amamiya.

When the dust settled, the shadow was gone, but Amamiya was still there.

“What the fuck?” He said, because Amamiya had _never_ done anything like that in _all_ of the time he had been observing him.

“Never seen a guy absorb a shadow into his mask before?” Takamaki asked, a hint of amusement lilting through her voice. Goro did not appreciate being laughed at, but for the sake of propriety, he held back.

“It’s nice to know I can still surprise you.” Amamiya said. “It’s name was Ose, by the way.”

“They all have _names?_ ” Goro suddenly felt deeply inexperienced in Mementos. Normally, he would just be able to sense their weaknesses. If that failed, then he would merely unleash Loki to wreak havoc.

“Come on, we’re heading back.” Amamiya moved back to the monstrosity of nature that was Morgana in cat bus form.

“Already?” Kitagawa frowned.

“This was just to see how adept Akechi is with fighting.” Amamiya said. He fixed Goro a light, considerate look, before adding, “Something tells me you aren’t used to working in teams.”

With that, the cat bus lurched into motion, and they were all taken back towards the entrance. Kitagawa was nursing a small wound against his arm, one taken from the burst of physical damage from _Ose_. Eventually, they arrived at the uppermost platform, and Morgana finally morphed back into the strange not-quite-feline form.

They left Mementos, appearances changing back once more, and Morgana looking decisively more normal. Before they parted ways, Amamiya stated, "We should probably exchange contact information."

Goro hummed in agreement, accepting Amamiya’s offered phone and adding his number. Takamaki watched this, her brows furrowing just barely. "Noir's coming back from her break in a week or so, it would be best to update her of the changes. Does anyone have her phone number?”

“We usually talk in school.” Nijima shook her head, sighing. “She’s in my form.”

“I could find it, but that’s her information.” Oracle mused. Then, instantly, as though sensing Goro’s response, she narrowed her eyes. “I may be a hacker, but I’m an _ethical_ hacker. Key distinction.”

“Regardless, Ren has Akechi-kun’s number, and that’s the most important point of contact. All meetings are sorted by him.”

“Does that mean you always fight with him in your group?” Goro asked, expecting the answer to be no, but finding himself surprised when there was an awkward exchange of looks. “Why don’t you go without him?”

Sakamoto huffed, readily leaping to the defensive. “We just don’t.”

Goro wasn’t sure what to make of this. On the one hand, it would hinder their training, and it would be an advantage for him. On the other hand, this decision was stupendously reckless and would result in stunted growth. If Goro were part of the group, he would suggest training in intervals. He wasn’t, though, so he kept to himself.

Though, speaking of training-

Goro subtly reached out to pull on the strings of Loki. It was far, and Loki’s presence was barely there. Despite all the damn practice he had put in, he wasn’t getting any better at forcing the inexplicable gap closed.

With a resigned sigh, he headed home.

  
  
  
  


• • •

**Unknown Number**

this is skull

**GORO AKETCHI**

It was nice working with you today, Skull

**RYUGI SAKAMOTO**

yeah whatever man

• • •

**ORACLE**

ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

**GORO AKECHI**

I see that your contact information already in my phone

**ORACLE**

¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

• • •

**Unknown Number**

Akechi-kun - Ren sent me your phone number.

**GORO AKECHI**

Nijima-san.

**MAKOTO NIJIMA**

Welcome to the Phantom Thieves.

• • •

**Unknown Number**

Hello

**Unknown Number**

I am Kitagawa Yusuke

**Unknown Number**

Or Fox, if you please. Either is adequate

**GORO AKECHI**

Hello, Kitagawa

**YUSUKE KITAGAWA**

Hello, Akechi

• • •

**Unknown Number**

Hi akechi!!!! This is ann

**GORO AKECHI**

Hello, Ann

**ANN TAKAMAKI**

Even with all the weirdness, im sure we're gonna be great friends! :)

**ANN TAKAMAKI**

Ren thinks so too even though he's hopeless about these things

**ANN TAKAMAKI**

Boys, huh?

• • •

**Unknown Number**

This is Ren

**GORO AKECHI**

It was a pleasure working with you, Ren


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are heating up lads

By the most part, his schedule remained largely unchanged by his introduction into the Phantom Thieves. It seemed that the group was determined to not make too much progress without Noir there. With that in mind, Goro decided to wait until every member of the team was there before suggesting the infiltration of Sae’s palace.

He told himself that he was not procrastinating, that he was just keeping his options open. The scarce visits to Sae’s workplace told him that she truly was beginning to run with the idea that the Phantom Thieves were behind the mental breakdowns.

Things were going as planned. It was fine, and even if it wasn't, it wouldn't matter.

Goro continued arriving at Shibuya Station a few minutes early. It was entirely for the convenience, as well as for the few moments he had alone to himself. The fact that Amamiya was also beginning to get into the habit of punctuality was entirely unrelated to his own arrangements.

Within a couple of days, the majority of the group had asked him to drop honorifics, and would likewise do the same. He didn’t call any of them by their given names, barring Ren, and they did not either. There was a clear divide between them, but it was one he wasn’t keen on changing.

Eventually, Okumura - _Noir_ \- returned from her leave, and this set about his plan in motion. It was just _barely_ tolerable. He simply didn’t like being in the same area as her. Too uncomfortable.

Though, with her arrival, it came time to propose his request to Ren, and ask to infiltrate Sae’s Palace. The knowledge of what this would set in motion made his stomach twist with something undefinable.

There would be no going back after this.

When he informed Ren of the first, more savoury half of his plan, it felt rather anticlimactic when he simply blinked at Goro and said, “Sae has a Palace?”

Goro merely cocked his head, giving Ren a significant look, and Ren sighed, glancing down at the floor. He seemed to be mulling it over, as though he wasn’t being blackmailed, as though Goro didn’t hold all of the cards right now. After a few seconds, Ren allowed, “I’ll need to talk with Makoto about this before I let the others know.”

“You don’t have a choice.” Goro reminded him mildly.

Ren winced, though at his matter of fact tone, his words, or the reality of this situation, he couldn’t quite tell. “I know.”

After saying these words, Ren gained quite an insufferable look, all round, sad eyes and slightly furrowed brows. It made him look away, disgruntled, despite his first instincts - to apologise, to do something to wash away the tiny frown now marring Ren’s face.

Instead of doing this, or even meeting his eyes again, Goro allowed the awkward silence to stretch further. This action didn't fit the facade he had created for himself - _Akechi, Goro_ would change the subject, try to pre-emptively ease any resentment the manipulation may cause.

There was something about Ren that made him forget himself.

The discomfort was only cut short at the arrival of two of the Phantom Thieves. He inclined his head politely, addressing them with, “Good morning, Takamaki, Sakamoto.”

“Morning.” Takamaki replied, cheerful enough despite the obvious remnant drowsiness of sleep. Predictably, Sakamoto merely grunted in response, mulishly stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Are there any particular plans for today?”

“We’re going to Mementos this evening.” Ren said. At the curious look that was given by Goro, he lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, it’s been ages.” Sakamoto agreed, stretching his arms in front of him with a rather unpleasant click. “I’ll tell the others, we’ll meet you there.”

With that arranged, the three boarded the train to Shujin academy, with Takamaki offering a slight smile before leaving. Ren didn’t spare a glance at him.

Goro decided that this didn't bother him, and went about his day as planned, focusing on school. He didn’t have any studio work that day, which was a small mercy, since he was almost certain he wouldn’t be able to focus on his lines.

He was the first to arrive, slipping into Mementos with a familiar ease. Shujin would close a half hour later, which gave Akechi enough time for him to quietly wander the area, killing a select few shadows foolish enough to approach him. By the large, they kept their distance, sensing his power.

He didn’t bother trying to reach out to Loki - there was no point in tiring himself, and, mortifyingly enough, no guarantee that he could switch back to Robin Hood in time.

After around twenty minutes, he ambled back to the entrance. It wouldn’t really matter if he was caught exploring by himself - he wasn’t a Phantom Thief and therefore unbound by their unspoken rules, and he could easily explain it away as curiosity or boredom, which was true enough.

However, when he returned, he didn’t expect to find that Noir was already there, perched on one of the railings. She didn’t notice him for the first few seconds, kicking her dangled feet up in the air idly, head turned and watching the entrance with pointed interest.

Goro did not want to deal with being alone with an orphan caused by his own actions. At the same time, he had two facts to contend with - firstly, they would eventually have a one-to-one meeting, given the general disorganisation of the majority of the Thieves. Secondly, if he remained silent, he would only succeed in startling her.

He decided to silently take a handful of steps back before walking again, keeping his footfall loud on the walk back towards her. Noir did still startle, but she recovered quickly, sparing him a curious glance. “Hello.”

“Ah. Hello.” He replied, for a lack of better things to say, lifting himself onto the platform. What conversation was he supposed to start with the daughter of the man he murdered? Her back was still turned to him, so she didn't notice his visible hesitation.

She soon leaped off of the rails, turning to face him with an expression that was far too open and far too friendly. She continued in an earnestly amicable voice, “I heard that you’re blackmailing us.”

Goro paused at the contradiction of tones, the accusatory words and the cheerful infliction, then allowed a terse, “I am.”

“Makoto started out the same, before I had even discovered the Nav. She had gotten a recording of Ryuji talking about how being a Phantom Thief made them all so cool.” Okumura laughed quietly to herself. “I’m glad you had to put more work into it.”

“I did.” He said, nodding once. Though, it hadn't been so difficult, just a matter of waiting outside of a dilapidated building and following the group at a distance.

“She was really against the group, and it took a while to gain her trust.” Okumura continued. She moved back on her heels, swaying slightly, and gave him an incredibly sincere look. “What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to make _all_ of your decisions right now. There’s nothing wrong with waiting, or even changing your mind.”

Goro highly doubted that she would say any of this if she knew what he was up to most nights. It didn’t help that she was still staring at him with that stupidly trusting expression. He eventually gave a hesitant, “...aright.”

Okumura seemed satisfied with his slow acquiescence, and pulled herself back onto the railings and resumed kicking up her feet. Goro pushed his back against the wall opposite her, staring at the entrance with some concentration. The quietness between them was uneasy, but nowhere near the oppressive weight he had resigned himself to.

Eventually, the rest of the group convened, with Kitagawa and NIjima next approaching, and then the rest arrived in one cluster. They began setting up, equipping weapons and armour and various talismans. Goro watched with something akin to fascination at the obvious routine of it all.

Despite occasionally trailing behind the group during the Palace infiltrations, he rarely got to see their moments outside of battle. 

Ren occasionally walked across the group, swapping out certain pieces of apparatus, dismissing the offers of repayment with a small frown. Sakamoto instantly perked up at the reveal of new equipment, and started fussing at his own weapon collection, giving a few swings with his new blunt toy.

Goro winced at the lack of grace and decorum. However, he was soon distracted from his silent judging when, surprisingly enough, Ren approached him, holding out a tiny black box. “Here. It weakens any curse attacks against you.”

He raised an eyebrow, opening the box, to reveal a small, slim bracelet, one with a tiny, silver moon attached to black thread. Despite its unassuming appearance, he could sense the soft power radiating from it. In his current form, the extra protection would not go unnoticed.

It was… thoughtful. The sight of it brings a small flutter to his chest, one which he immediately clenched down on. Still, though, there was something just barely disturbed in his voice. “Ah. Thank you.”

“You’re part of the team now, even if it’s temporary.” For the first time in three days, Ren offered a small, hesitant smile, one that Goro instinctively returned. He found himself rather reluctant to wear the band, as though he would somehow sully it with his touch.

It was a foolish thought. 

He wore it anyway.

Ren smiled broader as he did so, and Goro avoided his eyes.

“So, who’s up?” Sakamoto asked loudly, cutting through the moment, and causing Ren to startle, ripping his gaze away from Goro.

Ren cleared his throat, backing away from Goro, standing in the middle of the group. Morgana dramatically threw himself onto the tracks, twisting into a mini bus. It was just as ridiculous as the first time, but at least Goro was no longer surprised. “I want Fox, Queen and Noir with me, with Panther, Skull and Crow as backup. Mona, could you-”

“-go on support?” The bus chimed in.

“Exactly.” Ren confirmed, and the group began boarding the vehicle _(?)._ It was just as strange as the first time.

“Looks like you’re with me, Mona-chan.” Oracle said merrily, giving the interior an affectionate pat.

With that, the gradual push through the Metaverse commenced, with the occasional departure from the bus in favour of journeying on foot. He followed the rest of the group at a distance, gracefully dodging the attempted conversations from the more welcoming members of the group. Ren was up in the front, leading, talking, laughing with his friends.

Goro watched him closely as he went about his work. It was refreshing, to see the other smiling so openly, with an unguarded happiness. One thing Goro had picked up on was just how relaxed the other seemed as _Joker_. It was the sort of freedom Goro had never felt, even with Loki’s influence.

He wasn’t sure if he was envious of Ren himself or of his close circle of friends for having first hand experience of this behaviour shift.

There was little point in reflecting on this train of thought, because it would just lead him in frustrating circles. Instead, he mindlessly enjoyed the sight ahead of him, of Ren’s bright, affectionate smile. Still, a part of him ached.

He quietly fretted with the small moon charm, appreciating the feelings of safety radiating from it. It was a dumb little thing, but Goro found himself attached regardless.

When Ren, Kitagawa, Nijima and Okumura stepped forward to begin battling the shadows ahead, he reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged over to the group of stand-ins. For the most part, Goro kept his eyes on Ren. It was something of a pastime of his.

Seeing him fight was an intricacy in its own right. There was something _raw_ here, something unhinged that simply demanded Goro’s attention. The way he moved, sinuous and elegant, with a clear precision, always going for the jugular - it was oddly beautiful.

 _Ren_ was oddly beautiful.

The fight was soon over. The group was slowly growing more powerful, Goro could accept that, but he was certain that he would be able to win against them. An hour or so passed in this fashion; they didn’t stray too far from the entrance, where the distortions were weak and easier to banish.

Morgana sprang forward from where he had taken cover.

And, abruptly, there was a grim clicking noise.

They all froze, with Ren glancing back at them, looking at Goro first before his eyes passing over the others. These seconds of collective alarm were cut off when the ground shuddered. Goro instantly went for the walls, grabbing onto the stone for purchase. Takamaki and Sakamoto had no such forethought, stumbling to the floor.

Then, there was the grating sound of stone pulling against stone, and Goro watched with a morbid fascination as a stone wall dragged across, separating the groups from each other - Goro, Takamaki and Sakamoto on one side, and the rest trapped on the other.

Within a moment, Sakamoto lurched clumsily to his feet, and began kicking at the wall.

“Yeah, ‘cause _that’ll_ help.” Takamaki huffed, also pushing herself up, summarizing Goro’s thoughts succinctly.

“This is bad.” Sakamoto said, pointing out the obvious and further cementing the general disdain Goro held for the other. Whilst the two began bickering - because there wasn’t a better time to do this - Goro began pacing. They were thankfully on the correct side of the blockage, closest to the exits. Leaving the others behind simply was not an option, but it was still reassuring to know about his own safety.

 _This_ was why he liked working alone. No teammates meant no collateral damage. He stared at the wall. Stone, smooth and unmarred. Nothing around the wall itself, but that was to be expected. Then-

 _There_. A fuse box of some description, towards the bottom left corner of the block, barely perceivable asides from the flash of green. He rocked back on his heels, but before he could point out his observations to the other two, Takamaki’s phone chimed. She perked up, holding it between her and Sakamoto before placing it on speaker. “Hey, Oracle.”

There was a small sigh, and some rustling. “Hey, Panther. Have Skull and Crow killed each other yet?”

“I object to that.” Goro said. "I have self control."

“What can you see?” Oracle continued, entirely ignoring him. There was a long moment of hesitation, in which both Sakamoto and Takamaki took their first good look at the issue at hand. Truly, with their lack of focus, it was a miracle they've gotten as far as they have.

“....a wall?” Takamaki haltingly offered.

“There’s a panel towards the bottom left.” Goro supplied.

Sakamoto approached the area, taking a few seconds to locate what he had been referring to despite literally standing directly over it. Eventually, though, he managed to find it, and he dropped into a crouch, bashing it open with his weapon. Goro tried not to scoff; such blunt force could have resulted in anything.

“Are there five wires?” Oracle asked, then, before anyone had the opportunity to answer, she added, “You need to cut the red one."

Goro inwardly groaned, because he could just _see_ where this was going to go. The complication with what Oracle had said became instantaneously clear as Sakamoto took a long second blankly staring at the wires before saying, _“Eh?”_

“ _Red_.” The repetition was undeservedly exasperated, especially considering the fact that she was the one with communication problems. Then, there was a pause, as Oracle _finally_ seemed to realise the issue. “Ah. I see. Well, I don’t, it’s all light grey to me, too. At least we have Fox, with his colour seeing super powers.”

“Compare it to Panther.” Ren’s voice came in, firm and confident. Goro glanced over to the phone as Ren continued, “She’s wearing red - with any luck, the tones will be similar.”

“Good idea.” Sakamoto agreed, and Takamaki stood beside him, sticking her armour clad arm out. Even without Takamaki’s addition, Goro could see that it was the second one, though he wasn’t entirely certain what this would look like within a monochrome world.

For a moment, he had a strange hope that maybe he would be able to get away with not revealing anything about himself. These hopes are dashed as Sakamoto paused, considering, then went straight for the white wire. 

“Wrong one.” Goro cut in sharply.

“How do you know?” Takamaki asked, more curious than accusatory.

“I just do.” He sighed, walking over, pointing to the second wire. “Cut that one.”

Sakamoto gave him a long, suspicious look, but upon the twin pressures of Oracle’s chiding and Takamaki giving him a sharp jab with her elbows stirred him into action. He grudgingly pulled at the indicated wire, pulling it until it snapped. There was a long pause, before the doors peeled open with a sharp groan.

Within an instant, the group was reunited, and Ren passed his gaze over each member of the group, as though checking for wounds.

When they inevitably met eyes, he inclined his head. “How did you know that? You said you haven't met your soulmate."

"Well.” Goro said, because he hadn’t expected to be caught out in a lie as meaningless as this. In the grand scheme of things, this moment of awkwardness would not influence anything. When an explanation failed him, he leaned back on his heels. He had always been bad at improvisation, preferring to plan ahead and avoid any risks.

The fact that the entire goddamn group was now staring at him made him quite uneasy.

“My involvement in such matters are... restricted.” He eventually settled on saying. “It was a mutual decision.”

This was some embellishment of the truth; the decision was mutual to begin with. Goro had been quite happy disregarding the entire situation, and Ren wasn’t even aware that there _was_ a situation. Then things became more complicated in ways Goro simply didn’t care to describe. 

Takamaki frowned. "So, you can't be with them?"

He softly hissed through his teeth, wincing at how _sad_ Takamaki sounded. As though this was some grand romantic novel, in which two lovers were dramatically torn apart through circumstance. It was a ridiculous notion, but sternly dismissing her would do nothing to help his character. "I can’t, but I was never one to let fate decide what to do with me."

"So, what's the deal? They dead or somethin'?" Sakamoto asked with his usual eloquence, and for a moment, Goro was absurdly grateful for the moment of reprieve.

"Skull!" Three different voices scolded at once.

"No, they're very much alive." He stretched his shoulders back. Ren was right there, staring at the dagger in his hands with pointed interest. Goro was always the one for tempting fate. "Truthfully, I don't know what happened. We just didn’t bond, and there’s nothing more to it."

"Oh, that's horrible..." Okumura said softly.

The pity in her voice irked him beyond any reasonable measure. For a moment, he turned; there was no telling what expression this conversation would bring, and he needed a moment to reign himself in.

Usually, he would be better at this.

Though, usually, he would have planned every single aspect about the conversation. He had never intended anybody to uncover the (half) truth about his soulmate, and the fact that the opposition had found this out so _suddenly_ -

Well. He just needed a second to think ahead and regain his footing. The group seemed to accept this. Perhaps they thought he was overcome with emotion. In reality, Goro simply wasn't sure what he could say to the current topic.

"It’s fine - it means I have more time dedicated to my work." Goro forced a casual shrug.

There was a long pause. The expressions of the group varied. Takamaki and Okumura looked mutually pitying, whereas Oracle, Sakamoto and Kitagawa seemed to take his words at face value. Nijima merely looked sceptical, though he supposed that this was simply her resting face with anything relating to him.

Ren, however, was a clear outlier. He offered a small, fleeting smile. “What’s your favourite colour?”

That question had no right to knock him off balance the way it did. Not only was it a reference to one of the first conversations they had - Ren had _remembered_ \- but it was also a change in tone. There was no pity in his voice, none of that awkwardness or hesitation displayed by the others, and Goro was surprised at how _relieved_ that made him feel. “...green.”

The look Ren gave him in response - stunned, pleased, almost _endeared_ \- made the moment of vulnerability worthwhile. It was as though he truly hadn't expected him to answer, or was expecting something else. _Mauve_ , perhaps. Maybe even _gold._

"I have to leave early." Goro eventually said, gesturing vaguely behind him. The entrance would take a few minutes to reach, even on foot - it was safe enough for him to leave alone. At the curious looks, he offered a half-hearted, "Busy schedule."

They seemed to accept this, and Goro was quick to shrug off any offers of being escorted. Even if it was well meaning, Goro still felt as though it came from a place of patronisation. Despite his previous assertion, he didn't leave the area straight away.

Goro ducked into one of the many branching corridors, not wanting to depart before the others did. Slipping into the shadows of Mementos was second nature. He didn't have to wait too long, before he could pick up on Okumura as she gave a long sigh. "He looks so sad..."

Her voice echoed against the hollow chambers of Mementos. Instinctively, Goro scowled. From this angle, he couldn't see their expressions, and moving would cause them to notice him.

Ren's voice cut in. "This... doesn't change anything. We continue as we are - sorting out Palaces until any situation comes up."

"Speaking of situations, I am _starved_." Sakamoto loudly said, causing a collective grumble from the group.

"Is it always food with you?" Takamaki asked, amused, and this was the point in which Goro lost interest. He slowly walked down the sides of the selected hideout, finding a small alcove of relative safety.

Again, he reached for Loki.

It was the furthest distance he'd ever felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will probably edit this later but right now am tired :)
> 
> 'grace and decorum' - come dine with me
> 
> Typo time (if you notice anymore and don't want to comment, please assume that I absolutely did not get anything wrong)  
> Key moment:  
> ebeloshment - what the fuck is that even supposed to mean?????   
> skeptical - just yikes


End file.
